Teofimo Lopez’s ‘New Generation’ Is Just an Empty Phrase to Hype a Fight That Lacks Real Stakes

Teofimo Lopez mentioned on Friday that the winner of a combat between him and Shakur Stevenson will likely be “the chief of the brand new technology.” In different phrases, Lopez believes their combat will decide the very best man at 140.

The Posed Management

The winner of Lopez-Stevenson can be a frontrunner in identify solely, however not in the actual sense. For them to be a frontrunner, they must combat the very best.

Shakur has no energy, is all protection, and doesn’t combat at gentle welterweight. So, how a win over him makes Teofimo (22-1, 13 KOs) the “chief.” It proves nothing. It’s comprehensible for Lopez to hype his combat with Shakur like they’re the very best, however we’ve already seen that neither of them is.

Shakur virtually misplaced to Edwin De Los Santos two years in the past, and he hasn’t confronted an enormous puncher since. That was the final power-puncher Stevenson fought. His promoters have matched him rigorously since that combat, placing him with Josh Padley, Artem Harutyunyan, and William Zepeda.

Do you assume these guys have been chosen accidentally for Shakur? They noticed what occurred to him when he fought De Los Santos, they usually haven’t taken any probabilities with him since.

“So as to make boxing nice once more, you’ve obtained to combat the very best. So, if he’s the very best at 135, he’s prepared to come back as much as my weight division at 140. We make it occur,” mentioned Teofimo Lopez to Inside The Ring, speaking about eager to combat Shakur Stevenson.

Phrases Not Backed by Fights

Why hasn’t Teofimo been combating “the very best” at gentle welterweight if he actually desires to make “boxing nice once more”? He’s been at 140 since 2022 after he fled the 135-lb division when George Kambosos Jr beat him.

Within the three years that Teo has been at 140, he’s by no means proven curiosity in combating Gary Antuanne Russell, Subriel Matias, or Richardson Hitchins. He mouths the phrases of eager to combat the very best, however he by no means will get round to doing it. Why is that? I’ve my view. I feel he doesn’t wish to get overwhelmed once more.

“I feel we each perceive that the winner of that is the chief of the brand new technology. The outdated is out. The brand new is coming in. It’ll be nice to see what I can do in opposition to Shakur Stevenson,” mentioned Teofimo.

That doesn’t make sense. What Lopez is saying doesn’t make sense. He and Shakur are nearing 29, they usually don’t rely as “the brand new technology.” In a bit over a yr, Teofimo and Steveson will likely be 30 years outdated. There’s nothing younger about that.

What Teo is doing by lumping himself and Shakur as being the “new technology” is an instance of a poseur.

The youthful fighters like Abdullah Mason, Ernesto Mercado, and Jadier Herrera are the brand new technology.

The 140-Pound Avoidance

The winner of the Lopez vs. Shakur combat, if it occurs, isn’t going to be “chief of the brand new technology.” At 140, there are nonetheless these fighters that the winner of the Teofimo-Stevenson would wish to combat to show they’re the very best on this weight class:

Richardson Hitchins
Gary Antuanne Russell
Ernesto Mercado
Subriel Matias
Keyshawn Davis
Jamaine Ortiz
Oscar Duarte

“I don’t see anyone beating me, and I can’t make the combat occur,” mentioned Shakur.

Shakur has proven little interest in combating the highly effective lightweights after the dangerous expertise he had in opposition to Edwin De Los Santos in 2023. These are the large punchers at 135 that Stevenson nonetheless should beat to assert that he’s the King of the division.

The Actual Threats at 135

Andy Cruz: Ranked #1 WBC at light-weight
Abdullah Mason
Jadier Herrera
Gervonta Davis.

A method for Stevenson to keep away from getting overwhelmed is by not combating any of his high guys and persevering with to choose and select, as he has been doing previously. William Zepeda isn’t ok for Shakur to view himself as the very best at 135 as a result of he’s already been uncovered by Tevin Farmer twice.