Is Shakur Stevenson Using Teofimo Lopez Callout to Evade Andy Cruz and Jadier Herrera?

Shakur Stevenson is now pushing WBO 140-lb champion Teofimo Lopez for a fight, saying he’ll move up to light welterweight to challenge him for his belt.

(Credit: Amanda Westcott)

It seems pretty obvious to fans WBC lightweight champion Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) is doing this to dodge his #1 mandatory, Andy Cruz, who is breathing down his neck, and the knockout artist #10 Jadier Herrera.

Both of these Cuban talents want a title shot against Shakur at 135, yet he’s trying to run to the 140-lb division to fight WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez. What does that say about the Newark, New Jersey native Stevenson? It looks to me like Shakur doesn’t like the heat that is being put on him by these former Cuban amateur talents and is looking to flee.

“How bout you fight me next, Teo? Let’s line it up we both do business with the same people 🤫 I’ll go 140 for this,” said Shakur Stevenson on X.

Physical Mismatch

Teofimo is way too big and powerful for Shakur Stevenson. We just saw him struggle against the electrical Josh Padley last month, showing no power and barely able to get the part-time boxer out in the ninth round on February 22nd.

Shakur’s opposition has been embarrassing since his fight against Edwin De Los Santos in 2023. In Stevenson’s previous fight before Padley, he fought the non-puncher Artem Harutyunyan, a fighter coming off a loss to Frank Martin and a one-year layoff.

Physically, Shakur isn’t built to fight guys like Teofimo Lopez or anyone with decent power at 140. If you put him in with Teo, Gary Antuanne Russell, or Richardson Hitchins, it’s going to end badly for him.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn’s dreams of setting up a mega-fight with Gervonta Davis would be gone. He’d have no choice but to dump Shakur because he’s not going to re-sign him for an expensive Anthony Joshua-esque four-fight rebuild job. That won’t work anyway because the boxing public aren’t complete fools.

If Shakur moves up to 140, his problems are solved. He doesn’t have to worry about Cruz and Herrera because the WBO’s top 15 rankings at 140 are weak when you get beyond Teofimo and Arnold Barboza Jr.