Stevenson’s Fourth-Division Triumph Changed the Lightweight
Shakur Stevenson defeated Teofimo Lopez by unanimous decision on January 31, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York. All three judges scored the twelve-round contest 119–109, giving Stevenson the WBO junior welterweight championship and a world title in a fourth division.
A measured performance produced a wide verdict
Stevenson’s jab was the defining statistical weapon. CompuBox credited him with 105 landed jabs, contributing to a total of 165 connections from 372 punches thrown during the championship contest.
Lopez landed 72 of 468 attempts, a connection rate of 15.4 percent. The figures illustrated the difference in accuracy even though the defending champion threw considerably more punches overall.
The result added another division to Stevenson’s record
Stevenson finished with 44.4 percent overall accuracy and landed half of his power punches. Lopez’s difficulties establishing clean offense were reflected both in those statistics and in the matching eleven-rounds-to-one scorecards.
The decision preserved Stevenson’s unbeaten professional record at 25–0. Lopez fell to 22–2 after completing the distance but losing the junior welterweight championship.
The WBC then clarified its lightweight championship
In a February 4 statement, the WBC recognized Stevenson’s achievement and declared its lightweight title vacant under its rules. The organization noted his earlier super featherweight and lightweight championship success.
That ruling meant the move to junior welterweight also changed the title situation at 135 pounds. Stevenson’s achievement in New York therefore carried consequences across two divisions, beyond the immediate result against Lopez.
Sources
- CompuBox: official punch statistics and result
- WBC: championship status following Stevenson’s victory
- MMA Fighting: venue, records and fight coverage
