Shakur Stevenson has fired back at Teofimo Lopez after the former champion suggested there were illegal tactics used during their title fight earlier this year.
Stevenson and Lopez faced off at Madison Square Garden on January 31 in a highly anticipated showdown. Stevenson dominated the contest and captured the WBO super lightweight title with a unanimous decision victory.
The fight marked Stevenson’s debut in the division, but he controlled the action throughout the night. Lopez struggled to deal with Stevenson’s movement, timing, and accuracy, leading to widespread criticism of his performance after losing his fourth title defense.
Lopez questions officiating in Stevenson defeat
Months after the fight, Lopez reflected on the bout during an appearance on the “Fronch On Fighting” YouTube channel. While discussing the loss, he suggested Stevenson used tactics that crossed the line inside the ring.
“No, I mean, there was a lot of illegal things that he was doing,” Lopez said.
However, Lopez admitted he chose not to complain to the referee during the contest.
“The ref wasn’t allowing… I wasn’t really calling on any of it,” he added.
Lopez stopped short of directly accusing Stevenson of cheating, but his comments made it clear that he felt frustrated with the officiating and how certain moments were handled.
“It’s kind of just the game of boxing when it gets into it,” Lopez explained.
Stevenson responds to Lopez
In his recent appearance on ‘The Agnew Podcast,’ Stevenson was asked to respond to Lopez’s accusation. He quickly responded to Lopez’s remarks and asserted that he has no issue fighting through rough tactics if necessary.
“At the end of the day this is boxing,” Stevenson said. “The referee ain’t say so.”
The newly crowned champion also explained that he does not rely on officials to protect him during fights.
“I don’t mind dirty fighting,” Stevenson added. “I don’t need a referee to come save me.”
He then warned that he is fully willing to respond in the same way if opponents try to push the limits inside the ring.
“If somebody start fighting dirty with me because I’m gonna fight dirty back.”
Although Stevenson won the fight convincingly, the back-and-forth between the two fighters shows there is still tension surrounding the matchup.
The victory over Lopez further strengthened Stevenson’s standing as one of boxing’s elite talents and gave him a successful start in a new weight division.
For Lopez, the loss raised fresh questions about his future at the top level of the sport. However, his latest comments indicate that he still believes the fight was influenced by circumstances that worked against him.
As both fighters continue forward in their careers, the rivalry remains active even after the final bell.
