Shakur Stevenson says his fight against WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez is his “time” to become the ‘Face of Boxing’ on January 31, 2026.
The chances of Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs ) becoming the next face of boxing are impossible without him changing his style entirely, beginning with his fight against Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs). His lack of charisma could hold him back. Shakur tends to repeat himself in interviews, saying “I’m levels above,” sounding like a broken record stuck on the same spot.
Casuals Hate Runner Fights
Fans don’t want to pay to watch the hit-and-not-get-hit style unless fighters like him are matched against superstars. They just tag along as the B-side prop. This fight against Teofimo wouldn’t be happening without Turki Alalshikh, because it wouldn’t sell on PPV if another promoter put it on.
“Facts, this is my s*** time to grab my spot,” said Shakur Stevenson X about his belief that he could become the Face of Boxing with a victory over Teofimo Lopez on January 31st, 2026.
Shakur made this post in response to one of his followers on social media, who told him he could become “the face of boxing” after his fight against Teofimo. It’s a pipe dream. Fighters that fans want to see are all-action.
Who Really Has “Face” Potential?
- David Benavidez
- Fabio Wardley
- Abdullah Mason
- Jaron Ennis
Some people believe Terence Crawford is the new Face of Boxing after his win over Canelo Alvarez last September. That’s not reality either. Terence has never been a draw, and without Canelo, his numbers would be the same 200,000 that he brought in against Israil Madrimov.
The 38-year-old Crawford is too old, fights too infrequently, and lacks an entertaining style to become the face of boxing. He’s the guy who influenced Shakur with his hit-and-move style.
Shakur can still be popular with fans like watching movers. The problem is that the casuals don’t want to watch runners. So, unless Turki Alalshikh continues to subsidize his fights, he won’t be bringing in huge money.