Sports fans are abuzz as Teofimo Lopez, the undisputed lightweight champion, notoriously CRITICIZES Shakur Stevenson’s recent victory over Hovhannes Harutyunyan. This statement creates discord in the boxing community, and it ultimately brings the question to fore: what exactly was lacking in Stevenson’s win that caught Lopez’s attention?
Not a man to mince his words, Teofimo Lopez has never shied away from speaking his mind: his brash and blunt remarks proving to be as potent as his punches in the ring. His latest target is none other than the burgeoning boxing sensation, Shakur Stevenson, and his rather unimpressive win – as per Lopez – over Harutyunyan.
Stevenson fought Harutyunyan in the boxing ring last week, ultimately securing his victory. However, this win did not seem to impress Lopez much. According to the champion boxer, Stevenson ‘failed to deliver a knockout,’ which apparently called for a critique.
“A real champion knows how to close a fight,” Lopez said, criticising Stevenson’s inability to finish off Harutyunyan with a knockout. “Victory doesn’t always mean success. You’ve got to put an exclamation point on your win. Stevenson lacked that.”
The animosity between these two is not new. The spark was ignited back in 2020 when Stevenson accused Lopez of ‘ducking’ a fight with him. Lopez not only dismissed these allegations but jibed back, claiming that Stevenson needed him more than he needed Stevenson.
Speaking about Stevenson’s win, Lopez didn’t pull any punches. “Just think about it,” he said. “Stevenson had Harutyunyan on the ropes, and he still couldn’t get a knockout. I’ve seen amateur fighters with better finishes.”
Regardless of what Lopez opines, the statistics speak in favour of Stevenson. The young American boxer remains undefeated in his professional career so far, with an impressive win percentage. His agility and precision in the boxing ring have also seen him clinch various titles, including the WBO featherweight belt.
However, Lopez’s comments are not without merit, at least in his view. Lopez, after all, is a fighter loved for his hard-hitting style and crowd-pleasing knockouts. He believes a boxer, especially with the talents Stevenson possesses, is obligated to give fans the excitement and suspense of a knockout ending.
Does this mean a potential showdown between these two in light of these heated comments? Only time will tell.
For now, despite the criticism, Stevenson seems to be taking things in stride. He took to social media to respond to Lopez’s jabs, saying, “I am here working on my craft and getting better each day. I don’t need a knockout to prove my worth.”
Lopez’s remarks have definitely stirred the pot and created a buzz in the boxing community. Fans around the world are now eagerly waiting to see if this war of words escalates into a face-off in the ring in the near future.
A battle between these two would indeed be a spectacle to watch, considering their contrasting styles and current animosity. As for Lopez’s constructive criticism, it will be interesting to see if Stevenson takes it aboard or chooses to let his boxing do the talking instead.
One thing is certain though, this back-and-forth has already hyped the anticipation for a potential clash between these two – it would be a fight boxing fans would hate to miss.
