Tim Bradley Doesn’t See Shakur Stevenson Running From Teofimo Lopez

Tim Bradley does not expect Shakur Stevenson to spend the fight moving away from Teofimo Lopez. That view is not new. Bradley has been picking Stevenson to beat Lopez for a long time, and his idea of how the fight plays out has stayed the same.

Bradley believes Stevenson will stand in front of Lopez once the early rounds pass.

“I don’t expect Shakur to be moving around the ring,” Bradley said on his channel. “Once Shakur gets comfortable with that power, and he’s like, ‘He doesn’t hit as hard as everybody say he do,’ that’s when he can step up and step on that gas.”

Bradley’s reasoning is tied to how Lopez attacks. He sees Lopez at his best when opponents back up and give him clear targets. When fighters stay in front of him, Lopez has to slow down and decide when to go.

“How fast can you calculate what’s going on?” Bradley said. “Teo struggles with calculating. Shakur is going to be walking him down. Shakur ain’t got to run.”

Bradley says that once Lopez has to pause before stepping inside, the fight changes. Instead of coming forward freely, Lopez has to reset.

“If you don’t give Teo nothing to worry about, he’ll walk straight through you,” Bradley said. “But if you counter him a few times, he’s going to think before he steps inside.”

Bradley pointed to Stevenson’s last fight against William Zepeda as an example of Stevenson choosing to fight closer. Stevenson stayed in range, threw combinations, and did not spend the night circling.

The difference is power. Zepeda brought pressure and body shots, but not the kind of one shot threat Lopez carries. Bradley sees that as the main risk in his view of the fight. If Lopez lands something big early, Stevenson may not get the chance to settle.

Bradley does not expect Stevenson to rush. He expects a careful start. He just does not expect Stevenson to give ground for the entire fight.

Bradley has been clear about this for years. He believes Stevenson wins by standing his ground, not by running from Lopez.