A few weeks ago, 2026’s first big fight transpired with a bang. We predicted undefeated phenom Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11KOs) to defeat the brash, explosive Teofimo Lopez (22-2,13 KOs) in a battle for the WBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight titles and our forecast was right on point.
Both were two of the sport’s brightest young stars with something major to prove but Stevenson came out on top
THE FIGHT. The first round was your typical feel-out phase but by the second, Stevenson began to impose his will. Using his elite footwork, jab and ring IQ, he dictated distance masterfully.
Lopez tried to close the gap, but Stevenson consistently slipped punches, countered sharply and landed clean shots without ever getting drawn into brawls.
The jab was particularly impressive, jarring Lopez’s head back repeatedly and disrupting his rhythm.
Round after round, a pattern emerged: Stevenson outlanded Lopez significantly, rarely took clean shots and but showed elusive power that forced Lopez to respect him.
In moments where Lopez lunged, Stevenson either sidestepped or made him pay with counters.
By the midway point, it was clear this wasn’t competitive — Stevenson was in complete control, turning what many expected to be a slugfest into a boxing lesson. Lopez became increasingly frustrated, his output dropping as Stevenson’s precision took its toll.
We witnessed a rare dominant performance in a high-stakes matchup between highly rated fighters. Stevenson methodically broke Lopez down, winning almost every round and dominating the exchanges.
The scores-119-109 across all three judges surprised no one. Shakur won by unanimous decision, capturing the WBO junior welterweight title and the prestigious Ring Magazine belt.
In doing so, he became a four-division world champion — one of the fastest to achieve the feat in boxing history — joining an exclusive club of just a handful of fighters.
VERBATIM. “I’ve not seen much out there [to challenge him]. I can’t see anyone beating him around that weight class.” -- Josh Taylor , former world champion who lost to Teotimo Lopez (www.ringmagazine.com)
LAST ROUND. It’s on my cousin Jingle Fabroa Knight who recently celebrated her birthday.