“A fight that could become a classic”, — write: sport.ua
Loud confrontation, in which no one really believed. After all, it is rare to see young champions meet in the ring with uncomfortable styles for each other, and the time for the match would not be long.
Shakur is considered a stronger boxer in absentia. However, he definitely still has something to prove Such a duel was expected, but it cannot be said that many fans believed in it. It’s simple: it’s difficult to organize such meetings in boxing. Conflicts between promoters who want to extract as much money as possible from rivals. Conflicts of channels or broadcasters – it is not clear where and who will be shown. The boxers themselves want to earn huge sums for the risk and therefore do not agree to adequate ones.
Usually, everything looked like this. Often, such meetings were canceled altogether or postponed to a career stage when both had nothing to lose. However, this time it’s not like that.
Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez agreed on a matchup in which both the first and the second should be uncomfortable stylistically. Thanks to the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Entertainment, Turki Al al-Sheikh, they got good fees, a great arena and just the right time for the fight.
What does this mean globally? That we will get a high-class confrontation of boxers in their prime. One risks the title and a great streak of belt defenses. The other is zero in the defeat column and the possibility of losing is harder than it seems. After all, Shakur is moving to a new division and will box immediately with the champion without previous fights.
Despite this circumstance, Stevenson is mostly treated as an unequivocal favorite. It seems that he is more talented and knows more. And more inconvenient for the opponent than vice versa.
In fact, the issue of inconvenience is interrelated here. Shakur Stevenson is not a comfortable matchup for Teofimo Lopez. The American lightweight champion is very fast and smart. And on the hands, and on the legs, and in the protection of the body. He is a strong counter-attacking boxer. Someone who occasionally goes ahead and takes risks. And it is inconvenient for everyone to box with such, but some are better, and those like Teofimo Lopez are worse.
Because Lopez’s boxing itself is designed to provoke and punish the opponent. This is also counterpunching, albeit different. Teofimo is good when the opponent is active. It is good for him when the opponent is moderately aggressive – then he can walk around and show himself. And when the opponent goes on the defensive, he feels bad.
However, the same can be applied to Shakur. He does not feel the best when the opponent is constantly maneuvering and not facing him. Stevenson at such moments has to either go forward, which does not happen very often, or put on a too sad show, as was the case with Edwin De Los Santos. He knew how to hit, and actively did not want to go forward. So we got a very mediocre spectacle, where Shakur won only because of speed and accuracy, which were higher than the same indicators of the opponent.
We risk, waiting for a loud show, to get a not very fun duel. Too technical, mobile. And not active enough. A fight in which everything will be decided by one or two blows per round, because most of the rest of the time will be spent on reconnaissance, boxing from a distance and deceptive maneuvers.
Who is the bookies’ favorite? Shakur Stevenson is considered the favorite by a margin. His victory can be bet on average for 1.10–1.11. You can bet on the victory of Teofimo Lopez with a coefficient of 3.70.
Good ratio, as for Lopez. After all, he has a title in the first welterweight for a long time, and the opponent is only moving to this division. Teofimo had more fights against serious opposition than Stevenson. The same Lomachenko surpasses most of Shakur’s record.
At the same time, it is clear logic to consider Stevenson as an unequivocal favorite. And the point here is not only that the American has never lost. We are talking about a boxer who found a way to win even in unsuccessful fights. Like in the same meeting with De Los Santos, when things were not going well for him. Not only because the opponent was strong, but also because it was not possible to find the tempo of the attacks. However, Shakur still won.
Let’s add the style factor here. Teofimo Lopez will have to go forward. He is a more attacking boxer. He should do more, in particular, due to his status as an outsider. However, he does not like it. And therefore, he will be in a situation where the opponent will box as he likes, and Lopez himself will twist and be forced to look for the right solutions to difficult problems.
However, all this is about the tactics and strategy of confrontation. It’s a great fight at its core. Young champions in their prime compete for the belt in a competitive weight category. A duel in which anything can happen.
Can Shakur win? Certainly. Thanks to intelligence, speed and combo attacks. If you saw Stevenson’s fight against Cepeda, you couldn’t help but notice how the American manages to combine even under pressure and hit really hard.
Can Teofimo win? Of course. Due to experience, dimensions, ability to create corners and not to let yourself be broken by a jab. Lopez boxes quite unconventionally to create many moments for the opponent in which he will feel uncomfortable. And then either disassemble it, or even knock it out.
A great 50v50 matchup. Maybe not a fight that would appeal to most. However, this is a duel that can eventually become a classic.