Has the gold fever taken Shakur Stevenson, leading it to prioritizing Teophimo Lopez on risky contenders?

Theophimo Lopez stated today in an interview that he and Shakur Stevenson are “ready” for a fight by the beginning of 2026, which will be passed on to Netflix. He says he is waiting for the Riyadh season to do “the struggle” with Stevenson (24-0, 11 kos).

The Wbo Light Welterweight champion, Teophimo (22-1, 13 kos), would probably seek an increase in remuneration from the $ 10 million purse he received for his defense of the title against Arnold Barboza Jr. At the Turki Alralikh “Fury Fury” event earlier this year on May 2, May 2, in New York Times Square.

The change in Stevenson’s focus

Anyone received by the Moneder Teo, Shakur would predictably want a similar amount. According to Sportster, Shakur’s purse was $ 7 million for his defense of his Light WBC belt against William Zepeda on July 12. Thus Stevenson could get a payment of $ 10 million, which would be a great increase.

Interestingly, since Shakur had a tasting of millions in Zepeda, it seems that he has completely focused on the fight against López. This has some fans who believe that Shakur’s interest now is only money and can no longer be shown to be the best.

In other words, they believe that Stevenson is hungry for money now, which is why he ignores the risky contestants in Lightweight, as the number 1 of the WBC Andy Cruz and Jadier Herrera, coming for his title.

They see Shakur as signs of having gold fever Now. Instead of going through gold as Fortune applicants during the Rush Gold in California in 1848, Shakur addressed Teofimo at the age of 140. It would be a shame that Stevenson only struggles for money like other fighters once they have a taste of the dough for the first time.

Lopez and Stevenson are ready

“Me and Shakur are ready. We really want to give fans a good show. Hopefully, the Riyadh season arrive and make this happen,” said Teofimo Lopez a Ring Magazine On a potential struggle between him and Shakur Stevenson in early 2026.

“We both want to fight. We have talked about X. Now, it is the business of the people to establish it and finish it. It is a marketing to establish -“, said Teofimo.

Lopez vs. Stevenson is an excellent struggle, but Turki will have to decide if he is big enough to go to Netflix. This is not a massive struggle where a barrier could be packaged without any famine and little known head.

Holding Netflix’s boxing fans

There should be a quality fight in the subcard to attract fans who are not enthusiastic about Shakur’s retro style of Mayweather’s old days. Theophim has not maintained its popularity since its great victory over Vasily Lomachenko on October 17, 2020.

López has done very little with his career since the 12 rounds, fighting only seven times in five years. Teo has had no risky struggle and ignored the calls of the main contestants of 140 LB.

Teo lost to George Kamboses Jr. In 2021 and he approached a second loss against Jamaine Ortiz in 2024. From the next call of Theophimo against Ortiz, he has supported the fight against risky opposition, choosing to defend against Steve Claggett and Arnold Barboza Jr.