Shakur Stevenson says the winner of his fight against Theofimo Lopez in early 2026 will determine who the runner -up Next ‘face of box’ After Terence Crawford is away. In other words, the next ‘face’.
(Credit: Matchroom)
Shakur (24-0, 11 costs) mentions that anyone who comes to the winner in his collision against WBO Light Welterweight Champion Lopez (22-1, 13 COs) will be “the leader of the next generation.”
It would sound pretty if one of these fighters assumes the top fighters from their weight class to give it Made title Some meaning. However, they did not. So it doesn’t make sense that one of them calls themselves “leader of the next generation”.
What makes a true leader
To be a true leader and not a PosorShakur and Theofimo will have to fight against the top fighters in their weight class. It didn’t happen to this either. Since Stevenson moved to lightweight in 2023, it is the fighters he fought: William Zepeda, Josh Padley, Artem Harutyunyan and Edwin de Los Santos.
Empty words, empty victories
“I think it becomes who is the leader of the new school. So the winner of the struggle becomes the leader of the next generation,” Shakur Stevenson said The arena about his belief that the winner of his clash against Theofimo Lopez in 2026 will be the next leader who at least carries the sport in his mind.
I don’t know what Shakur is talking about. His fight against Theofimo will not prove who the next ‘leader’ is, ‘the next generation’. The battle is only about money when it happens. If Shakur wins, he has already said that he will give the 140-pound WBO title to his friend Keyshawn Davis and return to his original weight class at 135.
A victory for theophiimo will not mean much because he has beaten a lightweight that has no power, not even in that section. Since defeating Josh Taylor in 2023 to become the WBO Light Welterweight Champion, The Aofimo has defended the title against these non-Elite fighters: Arnold Barboza Jr., Steve Claggett, Camaine Ortiz and Sandor Martin.
The fighters they ignore
Fans and fighters criticized Lopez for ignoring the top fighters in the 140 pound division. They feel that he chooses his opponents to expand his government as long as WBO champion. It would mean something if Teo turned a new leaf and started fighting against the top talents in the 140-pound section that called him. There is
Top 140-pound chasing Lopez without any happiness
- Gary Antuanne Russell
- Richardson Hitchins
- Subriel Matias
- Ernesto Mercado
- Keyshawn Davis
“Everyone knows that Teo and I are a bad mother when it comes to the box. The winner, I’m not going to say the face of boxing because it’s Terence Crawford. But behind him, who is the next? I think the fight is going to tell the difference, ‘says Shakur.
The winner of the Lopez against Stevenson fight is not next in the row behind Crawford as the next ‘face of boxing’. To be the right next man, Shakur and Theofimo will have to fight and the top fighters they have chosen not to stand in their respective weight classes. I mentioned the fighters who, for whatever reason, chose not to fight for whatever reason.
At lightweight it is the fighters who ignored Shakur:
- Andy cruz
- Abdullah Mason
- Herrera Cores
- Raymond Muratalla
If Shakur chooses to fight against the guys, any self -proclaimed title Like “face of box” which he decides to give himself has a great chance to evaporate. I don’t believe Shakur can beat one of the four fighters. I also don’t think he would defeat Floyd Schofield. I didn’t record him on the list because Shakur tried to fight on the 22nd card in Riyadh earlier this year. Schofield has withdrawn from the fight due to illness.
Last updated on 09/18/2025
