Teofimo Lopez will put his WBO super-lightweight title on the line against unbeaten Shakur Stevenson in New York on January 31.
Stevenson moves up from lightweight for the challenge, aiming to become a four-weight world champion as he faces Brooklyn’s Lopez. The fight will take place just a few miles from Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
Stevenson comes into the bout off a unanimous decision victory over William Zepeda that saw him retain his WBC lightweight belt in July. Lopez most recently recorded a points win over Arnold Barboza Jr in May and is preparing for the fourth defence of the WBO strap he won with a unanimous decision over Josh Taylor in June 2023.
Stevenson said he welcomes the step up and the big test, insisting he chases the toughest fights because he believes he is among boxing’s elite. He vowed to take Lopez’s title and deliver a standout performance in New York.
Lopez, meanwhile, has predicted a decisive finish, declaring he will dominate the matchup and expects to stop Stevenson in the ninth round. He framed the fight as a takeover and expressed confidence that he will remain at the top in the division.
The clash pits two of the sport’s most talked-about young fighters against one another, with high stakes for both: Stevenson seeking to add another division to his resume, and Lopez defending the belt he captured from Taylor and has since defended successfully. Fans and pundits will be watching to see whether Stevenson’s move up in weight pays off, or whether Lopez can assert his reign in front of a New York crowd.