After Lopez beat Martin by split decision in December 2022, he was caught on ESPN audio and asked: “Do I still have it.” Carrington believes that moment matters when looking at how Lopez can handle Stevenson’s style.
Carrington doesn’t expect Stevenson to stand in front of Lopez like some of Teofimo’s recent opponents have. He believes Shakur will stay on the move, pick his spots and avoid giving Lopez a clean sweep.
That’s why Carrington says Lopez will need patience rather than aggression. He pointed to Lopez’s victory over Vasily Lomachenko in October 2020 as the best example of how Teofimo can handle a move.
In that fight, Lopez was in no rush. He remained calm, following Lomachenko around the ring and waiting for chances instead of forcing exchanges. Carrington believes that version of Lopez gives himself the best chance against Stevenson.
“The two fights that stand out to me that bother me about Teofimo are the Sandor Martin fight and the Jamaine Ortiz fight,” Carrington said. MillCity Boxing. “He became frustrated in both of them to the point where he asked himself, ‘Do I still have it?'”
Martin, a southpaw, dropped Lopez early in their fight and had success more than once with the same right hook. Carrington noted that Lopez had trouble adjusting as the fight went on, especially in the later rounds, when his frustration began to show.
Carrington also said Lopez tends to look his best against opponents willing to stay in front of him.
“Then you have guys standing right there for you,” Carrington said. “Guys like Josh Taylor, Steve Claggett. Fighters that stay there allow him to look great.”
Carrington believes Stevenson presents a different problem.
“Barboza was there all night,” Carrington said. “Shakur’s not going to be there for that. And if he’s not there, Teofimo could get frustrated. If that happens, it could be right there that night.”
Carrington says the battle may come down to whether Lopez can stay calm when the openings are not clear.
