A bout between Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez has been bubbling under the surface for a while now, with little sign of the pair swapping prattle for punches. Shakur started the latest rumpus by tagging Teo, asking for a fight to make boxing great again.
Teofimo responded curtly, explaining that Arnold Barboza tried the same tricks and ended up getting what was coming to him, i.e. the removal of his unbeaten record. Lopez outboxed Barboza in early May on a Ring card in Times Square.
The soap opera continued with a Shakur chuckle, clearly dismissing the notion that he has anything in common with Barboza, the undefeated slate notwithstanding.
Responding with a series of nonsensical “Brrrr” noises, Lopez seems to have moved on already. This remains an intriguing contest, especially with Gervonta Davis out of the picture due to his inability to behave away from the ring.
Turki Alalshikh has shown an interest in both fighters and has promoted them in recent fights, so if the money is right and the online chatter subsides, they could be primed to finally meet in the ring at an agreed-upon weight.
Shakur currently holds the WBC lightweight title and was last seen defeating William Zepeda in New York. Lopez’s last outing was the aforementioned Barboza bout, also in New York. Perhaps New York could indeed be the ideal location for an anticipated meeting.
