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Boxing
Shakur Stevenson scales new summit with dominant WBO light-welterweight display against Teofimo Lopez
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NEW YORK — Shakur Stevenson was flanked by all-time boxing greatness everywhere he looked Saturday night. Terence Crawford stood to his left, Claressa Shields was on Stevenson’s right, with Andre Ward in the backdrop all filling the Newark, New Jersey native’s locker room with positive vibes. GOAT vibes.
Just before the opening bell to the Ring VI main event began, Crawford even whispered some last-minute words of encouragement to his mentee and brother in boxing, to which the undefeated Stevenson replied, “I got you.”
Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) then went out and elevated his own greatness to another level, delivering a brilliant boxing masterclass behind arguably the best jab in the sport toward a dominant unanimous decision victory over Teofimo Lopez in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden, and live on DAZN PPV. Judges all scored it 119-109 across the board for Stevenson, who snatched the WBO and The Ring super lightweight titles and became a four-division world champion in his 25th professional fight.
"This is the art of boxing — hit and don't get hit," Stevenson said live on DAZN, "and pick guys apart."
He added: "I told ya'll — I'm the best fighter on the planet and I stand by that."
Planting his lead foot in the canvas, Stevenson declared his ring real estate and refused to negotiate any back steps to the champ, using his world-class jab to turn ‘The Takeover’ into game over for the Brooklyn, New York native.
Stevenson masterfully used the jab to flush an incoming Lopez out, keeping him at bay, or to stand his ground and pepper him with stinging output after evading harm’s way. Lopez worked diligently to get inside of Stevenson’s jab, feinting, changing levels, and relying on his nimble footwork, but often settled for stab jabs to the body.
Even when Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs) had brief success, he was treated to sharp counterpunches, adding to his anguish from sharing the ring with one of boxing's best, who made many sequences look like target practice.
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