Teofimo at 140
The titles Lopez won at 140 were against Josh Taylor, who had a questionable win over Jack Catterall, and has now lost three fights in a row. Teofimo barely edged Taylor with a 12-round unanimous decision, and didn’t look good in his last fight against Arnold Barboza Jr. not last May last year.
Lopez did not show the same level of performance at light welterweight as he did at 135, when he had the size advantage over his opposition.
“Choose this battle to challenge myself, Dare to be great, and I’m going to do it, the only way to true greatness is through high risk. These moments will turn me into a legend, let’s get it!! #ShakurTeofimo,” Shakur Stevenson said X about his title fight against Teofimo Lopez
“For me and my family, I want to eat forever. For sure, no question,” Shakur told the Breadkfast Club 105.1 about the money he will get for his Jan. 31 fight against Teofimo Lopez.
“I think it will take me to a whole other level,” Stevenson said of what a win over Teofimo would do for his career. “On that pound-for-pound you have to put me in that top five after beating Teo.”
What a win really means
Beating Teofimo wouldn’t take Shakur’s career to a “whole other level” in the truest sense. It would be superficial smoke and mirrorsfighting a guy who looked like a shell of the fighter he once was since moving up to 140.
Hardcore fans who follow the sport closely and scrutinize opposition, as Nation Vegas does, can easily see that Lopez hasn’t had his best fight since moving up to light welterweight. Turki Alalshikh will make fans a real fixture if he insists Shakur fight Gary Antuanne Russell or Subriel Matias. These two hold belts at 140 and fight at a high level.
“I feel like Teo should have been uncontested. This guy is capable and is going to be one of the best fighters on my resume,” Stevenson said of Lopez.
What Shakur is talking about is Teofimo defeating WBA/WBO/WBC Franchise Lightweight Champion Vasily Lomachenko in 2020, and not getting credit for being the undisputed champion. He did not capture the regular WBC 135-lb belt, which Devin Haney held at the time.
Did Lopez slip?
It wouldn’t have mattered if Teofimo had caught the uncontested five years ago. The reality is that he hasn’t looked like the same fighter since he moved up to 140 in 2021. Lopez lost to George Kambosos, who was involved in two controversial decisions against Jamaine Ortiz and Sandor Martin.
Better tests at 140
More importantly, Teofimo chose not to fight these high level fighters for whatever reason:
- Ernesto Mercado
- Gary Antoine Russell
- Richardson Hitchins
- Alberto Puello
- Subriel Mathias
- Keyshawn Davis
That doesn’t make Shakur pound-for-pound top five worthy if he beats Teofimo. He wasn’t shown to be among the best at light welterweight because he was chosen not to fight the top guys.
Lopez’s selection of Pedro Campa, Sandor Martin, Josh Taylor, Arnold Barboza Jr., and Steve Claggett suggests he has protected his career by facing fewer threats. If Shakur wants to be added to the P4P list, he needs to focus on fighting the aforementioned untouchables list above, starting with Ernesto Mercado. Let’s see how Shakur fares against him.
