Shakur Stevenson Revels in Teofimo Lopez Masterclass

Stevenson highlights jab performance while some fans point to stylistic advantage

Shakur Stevenson says his win over Teofimo Lopez is one of his favorite performances. Some fans have questioned whether the matchup favored his style.

Stevenson said he has watched the Teofimo fight repeatedly and now views it as one of his favorite performances because of how completely he controlled the action with his jab.

“A million. Actually, it might be my favorite fight because it’s like people talk about my jab. That jab was like a whip,” said Shakur Stevenson to the Agnew Project about how many times he has watched the fight.

“It was like hitting him with a belt over and over. Bap-bap-bap.”

Shakur also appeared proud of the way he neutralized a fighter he considers highly skilled.

“For me, it was a high-level fight because I’ve been around Teo for years. I know his skill level. I know you a dog. You a real good fighter. You’ve got talent,” Stevenson said.

“So, for me to make him look like that, it’s like it makes me feel I’m on a different level.”

Some fans, however, believe the style matchup heavily favored Stevenson from the start.

Teofimo’s offense is built around explosive single shots, counters, and sudden bursts of power. That approach has often struggled against disciplined movers who control range with a jab and refuse to stay in punching position long enough for Teofimo to open up offensively.

Stevenson’s reach, defense, and ability to take long backward steps repeatedly forced Teofimo to reset before he could build momentum. The fight quickly became a jab battle controlled almost entirely by Shakur.

One fan responded to Shakur’s comments by suggesting he try producing the same type of performance against taller fighters with longer reach advantages, mentioning former WBC light welterweight champion Alberto Puello and Japanese contender Andy Hiraoka.

Those are the kinds of fighters some fans believe could create more problems for Stevenson physically at 140.

The opponents who have given Shakur the toughest moments in recent years were stylistically very different from Teofimo. William Zepeda’s nonstop pressure and body punching forced Stevenson to work at a much higher pace than usual, while Edwin De Los Santos’ speed and power made Shakur noticeably more cautious offensively during their fight.

Teofimo, by comparison, fought in shorter bursts and allowed Stevenson to dictate the distance for long stretches.

That is why some fans see the Teofimo victory less as proof that Stevenson is untouchable and more as an example of a stylistically ideal matchup for his skill set.

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