Ring VI: Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson
Madison Square Garden Kick Off Presser!
(December 10th) Today, Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevensonl met face-to-face to officially launch their highly anticipated RING 6: showdown on January 31st showdown at Madison Square Garden.
Lopez, defending his WBO and Ring junior welterweight title: “Shakur can’t hurt me. I can hurt him. He knows it. I know it. Everyone knows it.”
“I don’t respect Shakur. I think what he does is a façade. He has never faced anyone like me.”
“I’ll make him quit or knock him out.” — on how he plans to end the fight.
“We’re ready to take over. I don’t see boxing the same way anymore.”
Stevenson, the WBC lightweight champ moving up to 140 pounds: “We’re both bad styles for each other.” — commenting on why he thinks stylistically the fight is tricky for both.
“It’s all about execution… Whoever comes in on their A-game, focused and willing to do whatever it takes — that’s who wins.”
“I’m going to be a lot faster and stronger, a lot better than he thinks.” — warning Lopez not to underestimate him.
“The outcome is me winning, and me putting on a masterclass performance — and Team Lopez crying after the fight.”
Ticket Presale: Wednesday, December 10th,12:00 PM EST
Public On-Sale: Thursday, December 11th, 12:00 PM EST
The event is brought to fight fans by Matchroom Boxing and will be broadcast live, exclusively on DAZN worldwide.
Brooklyn’s Teofimo (21-1, 13 KOs) will be putting his WBO and The Ring junior-
welterweight titles on the line when he takes on current WBC lightweight world
champion Shakur, stepping up to 140 for the first time.
The thrilling matchup at the start of 2026 will serve as a fourth title defense for ‘The Takeover’ as he looks to extend his six-fight winning streak following his most recent victory, a unanimous decision win over the previously undefeated Arnold Barboza Jr. during The Ring’s historic Fatal Fury Times Square card in May.
For Shakur (24-0, 11Ko's) who will also be fighting just a few miles from his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, this represents an opportunity to become a four-weight world champion. The southpaw’s most recent fight came just two months after Teofimo’s triumph, when he claimed a unanimous decision win against mandatory challenger William Zepeda to retain his WBC lightweight belt during July’s stacked Ring III event at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York.
About The Ring Magazine:
Since its inception in 1922, The Ring Magazine has been the cornerstone of boxing journalism, earning it the title as ‘The Bible of Boxing.’ Today, The Ring is more than just a magazine – it’s a growing multimedia empire poised to redefine how the world experiences boxing and combat sports. The Ring is not just chronicling the history of boxing; it’s actively shaping its future. Whether through its digital platforms, community events, or innovative partnerships. The Ring is committed to making the sport more accessible, exciting and engaging for a global audience.
Print