Diaz, an unbeaten bantamweight who has hung out sparring Shakur Stevenson, believes the fight settles right into a cautious rhythm early and stays there. Numerous jabs. Only a few risks. Loads of patience from each corners.
Shakur is frequently content to the touch and move, picking spots and staying just outside danger. Diaz thinks that approach tightens much more against Teofimo Lopez, whose power changes how clean exchanges are judged. The safer selection becomes distance, not volume.
“I actually have sparred Shakur before, and I do think he wins,” Diaz told Fighthype. “I believe it’s going to be a more boring fight than what people imagine.”
That boredom, in Diaz’s view, comes from respect quite than caution alone. He doesn’t expect Lopez to land much clean offense. He also doesn’t expect Stevenson to open up in ways in which invite trouble. The result’s a fight fought at arm’s length.
“They’re each great fighters, but I believe that’s exactly why it becomes boring,” Diaz said. “I believe it’s going to be a boring jab fight, because they’re so intelligent. One won’t intend to make a mistake, and the opposite isn’t going to intend to make a mistake either.”
Diaz believes those forms of fights are likely to favor Stevenson. When exchanges stay measured, and space is controlled, Shakur normally finds a strategy to edge rounds without giving much back. Lopez may press, but pressing without openings can turn into a protracted night.
“There’s not going to be much room for motion, and we all know who wins those fights,” Diaz said. “It’s Shakur.”
That forecast may frustrate fans expecting drama, however it tracks with how high level fights often play out. Intelligence slows the whole lot down. Skill narrows margins. This one feels less like a spectacle and more like a technical exercise, and that sometimes points in a single direction.