Mikey Garcia Names Favorite for Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson: Key Condition for Victory

Former world champion Mikey Garcia has shared why he believes Teofimo Lopez can defeat Shakur Stevenson in their upcoming bout, scheduled for January 31 in New York.

“Great matchup. Tough fight. I want to see which Teofimo shows up, because sometimes Teofimo is that great fighter who beat Lomachenko and Taylor. That’s a strong Teofimo.

But we’ve also seen him on off nights, haven’t we? And that’s really the only doubt, the only question I have: which one shows up in the ring?

I think Teofimo can win. Since he is a technically stronger fighter, a bigger size, he’s been in this weight class longer and is perhaps more settled into it. I think he should use that size as an advantage.

But it’s hard to say because Shakur Stevenson is damn good at what he does,” Garcia said.

The WBO belt, currently held by Teofimo Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs), will be on the line. Lopez has already successfully defended the title three times. For Shakur Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs), this clash marks his debut in a new division.