Shakur Stevenson likes to say he’s the best fighter today. On Sunday at Madison Square Garden in New York, he may have decisively proven that he is, indeed, at the top of the boxing world.
Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) moved up to junior welterweight and put up an absolute boxing masterclass in dethroning erstwhile WBO 140-pound titleholder Teofimo Lopez (22-2, 18 KOs) in front of a good-sized crowd. Prior to the two’s highly anticipated clash, Stevenson had vowed to make things look easy against Lopez, and that’s exactly what he did in winning the fight by identical 119-109 scores from all three judges.
“I picked him apart and did what I was supposed to do,” said Stevenson, who became the fastest fighter to win titles in four divisions. “This is the art of boxing—hit and don’t get hit and pick guys apart. I told you all I’m the best fighter on the planet, and I stand by that.”
Jab and World-Class Defense Give Shakur Stevenson Another Win
Known as one of the finest defensive boxers of this generation, Shakur Stevenson proved nearly unhittable again against Lopez, who kept pressing forward in hopes of landing big shots against the challenger. But Stevenson’s world-class defense and precise, thumping jab kept Lopez at bay for all 12 rounds. In the end, statistics underscored how masterful Stevenson was, as he landed 165 of 372 punches (44%) compared with just 72 of 468 (15%) for Lopez.
“I’ve been seeing it on tape,” Stevenson said. “I watched him, and I knew my jab was going to kill him. I told everybody before the fight. I said they’re going to say I got the best jab in boxing after this fight because I saw where he was weak at and I capitalized. I felt like I was a stronger fighter. I felt like I was faster. I was smarter, and I was sharper.”
Indeed, Shakur Stevenson is all that, and it’s only gotten harder to dismiss his brilliance.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Conor Benn Up Next?
After dispatching Lopez, Stevenson next challenged Conor Benn of England. Benn has fought at 160 in his last two fights—both against Chris Eubank Jr.—in April and November of last year. However, he has mostly fought at welterweight and totes an impressive 24-1 (14 KOs) record as a professional.
