By: Sean Crose
They’re each glorious fighters, however just one can emerge victorious. There’s a cause why this Saturday’s throwdown between WBC junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez and light-weight king Shakur Stevenson has bought out Madison Sq. Backyard – it’s a giant deal. There’s much more using at stake right here than a world title. Each Lopez and Stevenson are clearly large names throughout the sport, however there’s an opportunity one will emerge an outright star this weekend. And whereas it may not have the makings of an Aaron Pryor-Alexis Arguello type junior welterweight thriller, it guarantees an attention-grabbing conflict of types nonetheless.
At 24 years of age, Stevenson has solely stopped 11 opponents in a profession that has spanned 24 fights. That’s as a result of knockouts don’t make up a lot of Stevenson’s repertoire. The person depends on a single easy technique which to this point has led to victory after victory: Hit and Not Get Hit. To observe the person within the ring is to look at a virtually pure type of fluidity. He slips out of vary, lands in combos, and dominates by utilizing a wonderful southpaw jab.
A research of Lopez is a little more sophisticated. The fighter referred to as The Takeover began out as a knockout machine, ending fights with thudding energy whereas drawing consideration as one of many brasher practitioners of a really brash sport. An upset win over Vasyl Lomachenko about 5 years again put Lopez approach up on boxing’s Mount Olympus. But a subsequent gorgeous defeat on the gloved fingers of George Kambosos put a sudden cease to the person’s momentum. A pile of wins have returned Lopez to – or practically to – his excessive perch. He’s a particularly expert fighter, Lopez, one thing that compensates for his seeming lack of energy now that he fights at junior welterweight.
So who wins on Saturday evening? I could also be laughed out of the combat writing enterprise for this, however I favor Lopez. Why? As a result of he’s larger and stronger than Stevenson. Extra importantly, nevertheless, is the very fact Lopez is a terrific counterpuncher. Responding successfully to Stevenson’s flurries ought to alleviate the velocity benefit Stevenson brings into the ring. Keep in mind, Stevenson has by no means fought at this weight earlier than. He’s additionally by no means confronted an opponent of Lopez’ caliber. It can merely be a case of an excessive amount of for Stevenson. As long as he stays constant all through the bout, I believe the evening will belong to Lopez, courtesy of a cut up choice victory.
