Shakur Stevenson delivered a masterclass performance to dismantle Teofimo Lopez with ease and become a four-division world champion.
Stevenson claimed a wide unanimous decision (119-109, 119-109, 119-109) over Lopez, dethroning him of the WBO super lightweight title Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
By doing so, Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) becomes just the 25th fighter in boxing history to win world titles in four weight classes. Fittingly, the most recent fighter to accomplish that feat was Terence Crawford, one of Stevenson’s closest friends, who was also ringside to support him.
All three judges awarded Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs) just one round, Round 8. Stevenson’s performance was so dominant that it was the only round where you could even make a case for Lopez winning.
Stylistically, it was a perfect matchup for Stevenson, who entered the night as Uncrowned’s No. 8 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. The 28-year-old American is one of the best fighters in the sport at long range, while Lopez is a pure boxer and counter-puncher. Lopez’s strengths are not closing the gap and staying at close range, which is what was needed to challenge Stevenson.
Stevenson did not move as much Saturday as he has in other fights. Instead, the new champion was happy to hold his ground and fight behind his razor-sharp jab. He countered Lopez with rights every time Lopez attempted to close the distance. Stevenson continually found a home for his left hand on Lopez’s face as well, which caused it to mark up.
Lopez was not able to use his head movement or feints effectively enough to help him close the gap, which meant he frequently walked into sharp punches from Stevenson at mid-range.
Damage to Lopez’s left eye became apparent from Round 6 onward, and Stevenson targeted the cut with right hooks around the guard. By the end of the contest, Lopez’s cut was pouring blood onto his face.
Lopez began to work the body in the second half of the fight, particularly with straight rights. The eighth was the best round of the fight for Lopez, who enjoyed success with right hands that broke Stevenson’s guard. Lopez landed left hooks to the body twice in that frame and threw a pitter-patter flurry to end it.
Lopez hoped Round 8 would be a turning point in the fight, but it appeared to be more of a round off from Stevenson, as in Round 9 the fight continued to look more like how it did in the first seven sessions. Although Lopez found some success with body shots in the final few rounds, Stevenson’s counter-punching and accuracy with his southpaw left hand proved too much for Lopez to overcome.
After 12 rounds, there was zero doubt about who won the fight — and Stevenson already has his next target in sight. The newly-crowned WBO super lightweight champion called out welterweight contender Conor Benn, who was involved in an altercation earlier in the night with WBA welterweight champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero.
“There’s a fighter in here right now, Stevenson began, “and he motivated me tonight, too. Where’s Conor Benn? Conor Benn, we can get it banging, boy. I want that same rehydration clause that you put on [Chris] Eubank Jr., and I want the fight.”
In the night’s co-feature, Keyshawn Davis (14-0, 10 KOs) became the first fighter to stop Jamaine Ortiz (20-2-1, 10 KOs).
The former WBO lightweight champion knocked out Ortiz in Round 12 with a left hook to the body.
The same shot had put Ortiz down in Round 11. Davis attacked the body all night, and it paid dividends in the final two frames.
It was a statement win for Davis in his super lightweight debut, as Ortiz previously extended Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko the 12-round distance in close fights. Many thought Ortiz got the better of Lopez in their 2024 world title fight.
Davis, despite having moved up to 140 pounds just one fight ago, called out WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney in his post-fight interview.
Elsewhere on the card, Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (17-0, 10 KOs) handed New York another world champion.
The Brooklyn fighter knocked out Carlos Castro (30-4, 14 KOs) in Round 9 to capture the vacant WBC featherweight title.
Carrington rocked Castro with an overhand right and followed with a three-punch combination that saw Castro fall heavily onto the canvas. Castro could not beat the count.
Until then, however, it was a competitive bout. Carrington won the first three rounds but was an easy target for Castro’s right hand in Rounds 4 and 5. Carrington managed to regain control in the seventh, moving his upper body on the inside to avoid Castro’s power shots. Castro began to slow in Round 8, and Carrington capitalized in the following frame.
More from Uncrowned Additional select Yahoo articles Jarrell Millers toupee gets punched off thrown into crowd in hairraising scene on LopezStevenson undercard Jarrell Miller’s toupee gets punched off, thrown into crowd in hair-raising scene on Lopez-Stevenson undercard Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson live stream online: Re-watch Saturday’s PPV undercard here Xander Zayas outclasses Abass Baraou to unify WBO, WBA titles with sensational performance Rounding out the main card, Jarrell Miller (27-1-2, 22 KOs) didn’t just lose his place as a top heavyweight — he lost his hair too.
In a wild moment in Round 2, Miller’s toupee was knocked off his head by Kingsley Ibeh (16-3-1, 14 KOs). Disappointingly, that was the most entertaining part of a lackluster bout, which saw Miller win a split decision. It was a poor showing from Miller, who looked like a shell of the fighter he once was.
Check out full Stevenson vs. Lopez results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned’s play-by-play of the main card.
Main card WBO super lightweight title: Shakur Stevenson def. Teofimo Lopez via unanimous decision (119-109, 119-109, 119-109)
Super lightweight: Keyshawn Davis def. Jamaine Ortiz via 12th-round KO | Watch video
WBC featherweight title: Bruce Carrington def. Carlos Castro via ninth-round KO | Watch video
Heavyweight: Jarrell Miller def. Kingsley Ibeh via split decision (94-96, 97-93, 97-93) | Miller’s toupee gets punched off, thrown into crowd
Prelims Super middleweight: Austin Williams def. Wendy Toussaint via unanimous decision (98-91, 99-90, 99-90)
Super lightweight: Kevin Castillo def. Ziyad Almaayouf via unanimous decision (78-73, 77-74, 77-74)
