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A Level Above: Shakur Stevenson Schools Teofimo Lopez For
Fourth World Title
By William Trillo
In the Mecca of Boxing, Shakur Stevenson made history — and
made it look easy.
Fighting at Madison Square Garden in New York, Stevenson
improved to 25-0, 11 KO's by stepping up another weight
class and claiming the WBO junior welterweight title with a
dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Teofimo Lopez, who
falls to 22-2, 13 KO's.
All three judges scored the bout 119-109, and even that may
have flattered Lopez. Outside of a single round where
Stevenson appeared to take his foot off the gas to catch a
second wind, the fight was one-way traffic.
This victory marked the fourth world title of Stevenson’s
career, making him just the 25th fighter in boxing history
to win titles in four weight classes, and the youngest ever
to accomplish the feat.
From the opening bell, Stevenson dictated everything.
His jab was relentless, sharp, and perfectly timed,
constantly snapping Lopez’s head back and shutting down any
attempt to build momentum. Every punch Stevenson threw had
purpose. He rarely missed, and when he landed, Lopez paid
for it, round after round.
Lopez, a world-class fighter with only one prior loss
entering the night, simply couldn’t solve the puzzle. By the
later rounds, he was visibly bloodied, frustrated, and
demoralized by Stevenson’s superior footwork, defense, and
ring IQ.
After the fight, Stevenson credited discipline and
preparation for the performance. “It was an amazing night. I
stayed disciplined all the way through my camp,” Stevenson
said. “I was in tremendous shape. Teo is a hell of a
fighter, but I was the better man tonight.”
Stevenson also pointed to the jab, the defining weapon of
the fight. “I hurt him a couple of times, my jab, my left
hand to the body, my left hand up top. I put on a great show
tonight.”
And finally, the moment felt earned. “I’ve been calling
people out and Teo took the bait. Finally, someone took the
bait. I was begging for this moment and we finally got it.
Tonight, I just used my jab over and over, made it a weapon,
and he couldn’t stop it.”
Lopez remains elite…But Stevenson is something else
entirely. At just 26 years old, Shakur Stevenson isn’t just
winning belts — he’s separating himself as a generational
talent, operating on a level a cut above the rest.
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