Teofimo Lopez says it’ll be easy for him to seek out sparring partners who can mimic Shakur Stevenson’s fighting style. He views it as a case of bringing in fighters who “move around” quite a bit.
Finding Shakur Lookalikes
Lopez mentions that they’ll need to often stand their ground because Stevenson did that within the William Zepeda fight. WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo (22-1, 13 KOs) has already fought a somewhat similar fighter to Stevenson in February 2024, when he defended against Jamaine Ortiz—using him because the sparring partner can be ideal, as he does all the pieces Shakur does.
In that fight, Jamaine showed power, speed, combination punching, and mobility. Ortiz’s physical ability was more advanced than what we’ve seen from Shakur, but he wasn’t as defensively sound. A part of the explanation for that was that Jamaine was taking risks.
Teofimo defends against Shakur at Ring 6 on January 31, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in Latest York. The event will probably be streamed on DAZN.
Teo Explains His Game Plan
“All you would like really is a man that’s going to maneuver around. And any person that’s going to remain within the pocket because we saw that with William Zepeda,” said Teofimo Lopez to the media when asked if it might be difficult to seek out a sparring partner that would prepare him for Shakur Stevenson’s fighting style.
Lopez must discover a fighter who uses the step-back that Shakur utilizes. It’s quite common. What Stevenson does that is difficult to mimic is that he leans his head back to avoid getting hit, then fires back. He’s a wonderful counter-puncher. When he has the reach advantage, he’s difficult to achieve because he stands on the skin and jabs all night.
“Sparring partners are only there to get you within the range and distance, finding that that comfort zone of what to do in numerous moments of the fight,” said Teofimo. “But nobody is like Shakur Stevenson, and that’s what makes the fight much more exciting.”
Last Updated on 12/11/2025