Shakur Stevenson’s hand problems make him a risky battle for Teofimo Lopez to lock in now for January 2026. Lopez is interested in potentially fighting Manny Pacquiao in December if his fight with Shakur doesn’t pan out.
Mr. Glass strikes again
WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo (22-1, 13 KOs) is understandably concerned about committing to a fight against Stevenson, only to have him pull out with a hand injury as he did for his October 12, 2024 scheduled fight against Joe Cordina. Shakur suffered a right hand injury, which caused him to pull out on September 11.
“Next big fight we’re talking about is two in particular. If one doesn’t go through, we have another fight going on. So December 13 is possible (against) Manny Pacquiao. And then Shakur Stevenson in January of 2026,” said Teofimo Lopez. Untold stories.
Teofimo has already been delayed for the fight against Shakur because the Newark, New Jersey native needs time to let his hands heal.
If Teo had his way, he would fight Shakur before the end of 2025. He can’t do that because Stevenson’s fragile hands need time to heal from his last fight against William Zepeda last summer on July 12.
There’s no way to know for sure if Shakur will make it through camp without another hand fracture. This wouldn’t be as much of a big deal to Lopez if he was in his early 20s with time to burn, and not making the millions he is now.
Olly Campbell’s analyst perspective: Teofimo can’t wait forever
‘The Takeover- Teofimo is too valuable for a fighter to invest six to eight months of his career while waiting for an injury prone ‘Mr. Glass’s Shakur to heal. What makes it even more nerve-wracking is dealing with the unknown. You just don’t know if Stevenson will make it through the January 2026 fight without another physical breakdown at his hands.
The safer bet for Teo is to wash his hands of Shakur, give up on him as a lost cause due to his glass hands, and focus on more reliable fighters. The fight against Pacquiao on December 13 would be the perfect one for him. If not him, a unification clash against IBF 140-lb champion Richardson Hitchins if he doesn’t price himself again.
Since 2014, Olly Campbell has brought readers clear ringside perspective and a solid voice on boxing’s biggest nights.
Last updated on 20/10/2025
