Shakur Stevenson dominates Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden and makes history by winning the semi-welterweight title.
Shakur Stevenson is the new WBO and Ring Magazine World Semi-Welterweight Champion. The exceptional boxer from Newark won tonight in Madison Square Garden in Las Vegas with a unanimous points decision against Teofimo Lopez. Stevenson (25-0, 11 knockouts) delivered a dominant performance, working consistently behind his precise southpaw jab and repeatedly dismantling Lopez (22-2, 13 knockouts) with his left jab. All three judges scored the fight 119-109 for Stevenson – a fight in which Lopez never found his rhythm.
It was also the 28-year-old’s debut at the 140-pound limit – and the next milestone. Stevenson is now world champion in four weight classes and underlined his claim to belong to the pound-for-pound elite.
“I felt good,” Stevenson said in the DAZN interview after the fight. “I took him apart and did exactly what I had to do. That’s the art of boxing: hit and don’t get hit. I told you guys I’m the best fighter on the planet – and I stand by that.” He continued: “I knew my jab would kill him. After this fight they will say I have the best jab in boxing. I saw his weaknesses and exploited them. I was stronger, faster, smarter and sharper.”
British star Conor Benn was also at ringside. After the fight, there was an intense staredown in the ring. “Where’s Conor Benn?” shouted Stevenson. “We can let it rip. I want the same rehydration clause as against Chris Eubank Jr. My skills are too much. Sign the contract, let’s do it.” Benn is most recently coming off a double-header against his British rival Chris Eubank Jr, in which he competed at middleweight. The Englishman has already announced his intention to move down two weight classes to welterweight again.