Teofimo Lopez Teases 2026 ‘Big Gift’—Shakur Stevenson Looms

Teofimo Lopez said last Saturday night that he had a “great gift” waiting for him in 2026. When asked to confirm that his fight with Shakur Stevenson is a done deal for January 2026, he chose to let the fans wait for the official announcement of the news.

Teofimo, Speaking in Riddles

The details of the fight have already been leaked by DAZN commentator Chris Mannix, who revealed that Teofimo (22-1, 13 KOs) will defend his WBO light welterweight title against Stevenson on January 31, 2026. The rumored location is Madison Square Garden in New York City.

“So they say. So they keep talking,” said Teofimo Lopez Fight Hub TV when asked about his thoughts on his fight with Shakur Stevenson being confirmed for early 2026. “I say just wait a few weeks from now or less. I know I have a big gift waiting for me in 2026, and I’m excited about it.”

Teofimo is waiting for event organizers to announce the fight between him and Stevenson before he talks about it publicly. Boxing fans want to know if this is happening or not, as they have seen Lopez’s fights fail to materialize in the past for various reasons.

The career lifeline for Shakur

This fight is a career saver for Shakur in a way, because if it doesn’t come, he’ll be forced to defend his WBC lightweight title against the contenders waiting to dethrone him: Andy CruzRicardo Nunez and Jadier Herrera. These are contenders who can finish what William Zepeda started last summer on July 12th.

Teofimo works well for Shakur because he is a low-output counter puncher who rarely makes contact. So his style is perfect for Stevenson’s pure boxing approach.

Lopez could receive a career-high purse for the fight. So it’s understandable why he sees the Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) clash as a “huge gift”. It is less risky for Teofimo than if he were to face one of the champions at 140, such as Gary Antuanne Russell, Subriel Matias, or Richardson Hitchins.

The only thing Lopez will have to worry about against pure boxer Shakur is losing a 12-round decision in a fight that will likely look like an amateur-style points affair. That’s how Stevenson fights because of his brittle hands.

Lopez, Dodging the Wolves

Entertainingly, there are better fights out there for Teofimo than Shakur. But these are the ones he would have a high chance of losing, like against these wolves:

• Gary Antoine Russell
• Keyshawn Davis – *Teo’s WBO mandatory at 140
• Subriel Mathias
• Brian Norman Jr.
• Devin Haney
• Ryan Garcia