Shakur Stevenson’s latest social-media call-out has dragged Teofimo Lopez back into the rumour mill, nudging their long-teased clash a step closer.
The WBC lightweight champion lit the fuse by tagging Lopez and urging him to “make boxing great again.” Lopez fired back that Arnold Barboza Jnr had tried the same tactics and paid with his “0” when Lopez boxed him soundly in Times Square last May. Stevenson laughed off the comparison, insisting he is no Barboza, while Lopez signed off with a stream of defiant “Brrrr” noises - apparently content to let the back-and-forth simmer.
With Gervonta Davis sidelined by fresh legal trouble, Stevenson–Lopez is arguably the glamour fight at 135lbs. Both men remain fixtures on Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh-Season roster, meaning the finances are already in place.
Stevenson, fresh from a statement win over William Zepeda in New York, still owns the WBC title. Lopez, whose decision over Barboza preserved his unbeaten run at 140lbs, has shown he can draw just as well in the city. If the online chatter finally gives way to contracts, Madison Square Garden or another New-York venue, looks the natural stage for a bout fans have spent years demanding.
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