Teofimo Lopez squared off against Shakur Stevenson at Madison Square Garden on January 31. Stevenson delivered a dominating performance to dethrone Lopez and captured the WBO world super lightweight title.
In his fourth title defense, Lopez lost his belt via unanimous decision 111-109. The fight turned out to be one-sided domination by Stevenson, who was making his debut in the division. Since then, many have criticised the former champion for his performance.
Recently, on his appearance on the “Fronch On Fighting” YouTube channel, he reflected on his fight against Stevenson. He raised concerns over officiating the bout. He accused the southpaw of doing things illegally, but he chose not to involve the referee and didn’t appeal.
Lopez suggested that the referee did not properly address certain actions inside the ring.
“No, I mean, there was a lot of illegal things that he was doing, but the ref wasn’t allowing… I wasn’t really calling on any of it,” Lopez said. “ It’s kind of just the game of boxing when it gets into it.”
While Lopez stopped short of making direct accusations, his comments indicate frustration with how the contest was officiated.
Teofimo Lopez accepts outcome against Stevenson
Lopez acknowledged the nature of the sport and did not dwell heavily on the result.
“So, you know, things worked the way it did,” he added.
Despite those concerns, ‘The Takeover’ acknowledged Stevenson’s performance and gave him credit for stepping up.
“But kudos to Shakur. He came up to 140, you know, and fought the best guy at that weight, which was myself, and we’ll see what he does next.”
The response suggests that while he had reservations about certain aspects of the fight, Lopez has accepted the outcome and is now focused on what comes next.
Looking ahead, Lopez confirmed his intention to move up in weight, targeting new challenges at welterweight.
“I look forward to just moving up to 147 and claiming new divisions and new world titles,” he said.
The decision signals a fresh chapter in his career, as he aims to re-establish himself in a new division against a different set of opposition.
What’s next for Stevenson?
With the victory, Lopez Stevenson became a four-division champion, having previously held titles at featherweight, junior lightweight, and lightweight. Since then, he has been out of action.
However, strong rumors have been circulating on the internet that he is on the lookout for his next outing. Many fans have linked him up with Devin Haney. However, he has dismissed the rumors on his X account.
“I know fans like to get excited and they could play with yall heads and manipulate yall easily but that rumor is cap for the 2nd time.. I haven’t heard one word about that, idk what they tryna cover up or disguise but for me and my team we haven’t heard shit.” Stevenson wrote on X.
I know fans like to get excited and they could play with yall heads and manipulate yall easily but that rumor is cap for the 2nd time.. I haven’t heard one word about that, idk what they tryna cover up or disguise but for me and my team we haven’t heard shit
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) April 27, 2026
Stevenson wanted to face Conor Benn after his victory over Lopez, as he called him out, and Benn entered the ring and exchanged words. However, Benn has signed a deal with Zuffa Boxing, so it will be interesting to see how things move forward and if this fight comes to fruition.
