Lopez Vows To Expose Shakur – ‘Show The Flaws The World Cannot See’
Teofimo Lopez is confident ahead of his WBO junior welterweight title defense against Shakur Stevenson on January 31, saying he thrives when he is an underdog.
“The Takeover” aims to dismantle the narrative surrounding Stevenson and claimed that people will see the “cracks” in Stevenson’s defense, arguing that Stevenson’s style is built on avoiding risk rather than technical superiority. Lopez noted that critics have counted him out before his biggest career wins, namely against Vasiliy Lomachenko and Josh Taylor.
While Stevenson is seen an elusive, Lopez described it as a “boring” style that he intends to punish with pressure and unpredictability. Lopez is looking for his fourth successful defense of the 140-pound belt, while Stevenson is attempting to become a four-division world champion in his junior welterweight debut.
“People say I perform best when people underestimate me. Although partially it can be true, I think I just always had it in me…Shakur’s stepping up because he had nobody else to go after. He’s stepping up to try to prove a point…I’m going to show everyone his defense is not as [immaculate] like they say it is. That’s my job, is to show the true flaws that the world cannot see,” Lopez said
Tactics
Lopez has hinted that he may fight dirty, pushing the boundaries of the rules, with Shakur saying anything ‘dirty will be reciprocated.’ This could mean targeting Stevenson’s lead hand rather than his head. By punching the glove or forearm as he attempts to jab, Lopez disrupts the flow of the southpaw’s offense. Lopez utilized this against Vasiliy Lomachenko, where he used physical parries and forearm contact to prevent the “Matrix” from getting into a rhythm.
Lopez may plan to exploit Stevenson’s debut at 140 pounds to sap the energy of the smaller, lighter Stevenson. During Lopez’s performance against Josh Taylor, he was bullying Taylor, using physical force to move the bigger man and creating “cracks” in Taylor’s composure. Stevenson thrives on space and distance; by taking that space away and fighting “dirty” on the inside, Lopez forces Stevenson into a brawl he doesn’t want.
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