Teofimo Lopez Jr. was ringside in Southern California watching the boxing grudge match between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, but the headlines from Shakur Stevenson’s fight across the country carried over to the Honda Center in Anaheim.
Lopez and Stevenson have traded their fair share of verbal sparring throughout the years building up a potential fight, and the last week has been no different, with Lopez fresh off a unanimous decision win against Steve Claggett on June 29.
Stevenson chided Lopez for facing the Canadian contender Claggett, who came into the fight with seven losses.
The WBO junior welterweight champion Lopez fired back when he was asked about Stevenson’s successful WBC lightweight title defense and workmanlike unanimous decision win Saturday against the little-known Artem Harutyunyan.
“Ain't nobody watching that shit. What did [Harutyunyan] have, like 12 wins?” Lopez told a group of reporters. “It's [Stevenson’s] last fight with Top Rank, so good riddance.
“He has many accolades under his belt. It's up to him and what they do. If he couldn't finish [Harutyunyan], that's on him. They say I was fighting a nobody but he fought a nobody and couldn't finish the job. Don't talk shit unless you know how to back it up. I wish him the best.”
Stevenson said he turned down a five-fight, $15 million deal with Top Rank, and Lopez said Stevenson didn’t deserve those guaranteed minimum purses either.
"Do what they give me, $2 million – that's what his value is at,” said Lopez. “My value should be at the opposite end. But hey, he has a great management team and they know how to move him. I'm like Italian clothing. They pay me great value.”
Lopez will look to showcase his value once again later this year. He hinted at a quick return to the ring, saying he’s already back in the gym preparing for a September fight date.
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.
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