Coach Bernie Davis says the rationale Shakur Stevenson has chosen Teofimo Lopez over Subriel Matias at 140 to chase a belt is as a result of he needed to battle a “famous person.” He charges Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) as becoming the label of a “famous person.”
(Credit score: Golden Boy)
Did Shakur Play It Protected at 140?
Insiders suspect that Shakur (24-0, 11 KOs) has noticed the plain vulnerability in Teofimo’s sport, noting his loss to George Kambosos, and his controversial wins at 140 towards Sandor Martin and Jamaine Ortiz.
Teo is seen because the weakest of the champions at gentle welterweight by some followers. They view Shakur as calculated along with his alternative of him over Matias, Gary Antuanne Russell, and Richardson Hitchins.
“Shakur desires all the perfect fights. He’s a sharpshooter, a defensive wizard, and might you remedy this puzzle?” mentioned coach Bernie Davies to MillCity Boxing about Shakur Stevenson. “This man is unbeatable.”
If Stevenson desires the perfect fighters, why has he chosen to not battle Andy Cruz, Ernesto Mercado, Raymond Muratalla, Abdullah Mason, or rescheduled towards Floyd Schofield? Shakur’s resume is mediocre.
The Newark, New Jersey native, Stevenson, definitely isn’t unbeatable. We noticed in his final battle towards William Zepeda and his match towards Edwin De Los Santos that he’s lots beatable. Many followers had him dropping to each fighters. He ran from De Los Santos and was booed out of the T-Cell Area in Las Vegas along with his 12-round unanimous choice in November 2023.
The ‘Celebrity’ Phantasm at 140
“Matias has already bought a battle already. Teofimo, they linked in. They the younger boys,” mentioned Bernie when requested why Shakur isn’t concentrating on WBA gentle welterweight champion Subriel Matias fairly than Teofimo at 140. “They’re younger superstars. It’s a famous person battle. Shakur desires a famous person battle.”
If Shakur desires a famous person to validate him artificially, he’s selecting the fallacious fighter as a result of Teofimo doesn’t meet the requirements to be labeled as such. Matias did lose to Liam Paro, however that’s a battle he ought to have gained if the referee had penalized the Australian for fixed shoving, holding, and rabbit punches. Paro used all three of these ways to neutralize Matias’ offense, and the referee didn’t elevate a finger to dock him factors.
“He simply beat Zepeda. He’s [Stevenson] a famous person man. He wants a famous person battle. Teofimo additionally has a Ring Journal championship. He additionally has an incredible win over Lomachenko. He has an incredible win over Josh Taylor. So, it’s a famous person battle. Subriel Matias just isn’t a famous person,” mentioned Bernie.
A greater argument for maybe the true purpose why Shakur selected Teofimo over Matias is that he’s a extra winnable battle. Lopez has struggled since transferring as much as 140 in 2022 and has solely been saved from having his profession sink to the underside because of his promoters at Prime Rank propping him up with cautious matchmaking.
The ‘Basic Inhabitants’ Check
If they’d put Teofimo within the basic inhabitants, he’d have imploded and could be prepared for the junk heap. The fighters that will have sunk Lopez’s profession by now at 140″
Gary Antuanne Russell
Richardson Hitchins
Ernesto Mercado
Keyshawn Davis
Subriel Matias
Alberto Puello
Shakur would seemingly lose to all or most of these fighters as effectively. He doesn’t have the facility to deal with some of these fighters, and will barely reduce it towards William Zepeda. He doesn’t possess the bodily instruments to beat the apex fighters at 140 or 135.
Certainly, Matias isn’t a famous person, however for Berbie to make use of that as the rationale for Shakur’s alternative sounds 100% disengenuous or, on the very least, ignorant. Teofimo just isn’t a famous person both. He’s a fighter who misplaced to George Kambosos Jr. and deserved to lose his battle towards Jamaine Ortiz on February 8, 2024.
The judges gave Lopez an in depth 12-round unanimous choice, however many boxing followers noticed it as a blatant theft with the A-side fighter being given the victory over the less-known, much less marketable man.
Written by Nation Vegas, a Boxing Analyst overlaying world title fights since 2013.
Boxing Information 24 » Insiders Declare Shakur Stevenson Noticed Vulnerability in Teofimo Lopez and Selected Him Over Subriel Matias for a Safer ‘Celebrity’ Belt Seize
Final Up to date on 10/16/2025
