Lopez Isn’t Underrated. This Fight Asks Something Else

Teofimo Lopez is not being underestimated going into Saturday’s fight with Shakur Stevenson. He is being asked to win a contest that does not suit the way he has been most successful.

Much of the buildup has focused on claims of disrespect, with the idea that doubting Lopez reflects short memory or bias. Lopez has dealt with that before and has often responded well. The issue here is not belief or confidence. It is the type of fight he is being asked to navigate.

Lopez’s strongest performances have come when opponents allowed the bout to drift into exchanges he could influence. Against Vasiliy Lomachenko, the fight opened late and became a contest of timing and momentum. Against Josh Taylor, the structure broke down early and never recovered. In both cases, Lopez benefited once control loosened and rhythm shifted.

Shakur Stevenson builds his fights to prevent that from happening.

Stevenson limits space and keeps opponents working at a distance and pace they did not choose. He reduces openings rather than trading through them and spends long stretches denying the kind of moments Lopez has used to turn major fights in his favor.

The weight discussion has added another layer to expectations. Stevenson is moving up while Lopez is already established at the weight. That framing suggests Lopez will be the one setting terms. Stevenson’s style complicates that assumption. His control has followed him across divisions, and there is little evidence that it fades simply because the opponent carries strength or confidence.

Lopez’s self belief has never been in doubt. He approaches big fights the same way each time, and that mindset has often worked. Confidence, however, does not decide where exchanges happen or who determines tempo. Those factors tend to shape fights like this more reliably than bravado.

This is not a statement about Lopez’s toughness or his standing in the sport. It is a stylistic test that asks him to solve a different problem than the ones he has faced before. Being doubted is familiar territory. Being denied the kind of fight he prefers is less so.

That difference, more than public opinion, explains why the matchup is viewed the way it is.