02/01/26 12:23:00
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02/01 00:22 CST Shakur Stevenson dominates Teofimo Lopez to become a 4-division
champion
Shakur Stevenson dominates Teofimo Lopez to become a 4-division champion
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Shakur Stevenson dominated Teofimo Lopez to win a title in a
fourth weight class, taking a unanimous decision Saturday night to capture the
WBO junior welterweight belt.
The unbeaten Stevenson (25-0) was in control the whole way, hardly getting hit
in the early rounds and opening a cut over Lopez's left eye later in the bout.
All three judges scored the fight 119-109, giving just one round to Lopez.
Lopez (22-2) tried to press the action, but too often all that accomplished was
leaving himself open to Stevenson's counter punches.
The current WBC lightweight champion added the 140-pound belt that Lopez held
and will be tough to beat no matter which weight class he opts to remain in.
The sold-out crowd that roared for both local fighters in the minutes before
the bout didn't have many chances to get loud once it began. It was clear early
that Stevenson's style, effective but not especially exciting, was going to
control the fight.
Unable to match what might be Stevenson's best-in-boxing foot speed, Lopez was
often forced to lunge forward in hopes of connecting, putting himself at risk
for shots that came back faster and even most times harder. The area around his
left eye was red by the eighth round and blood streamed down his face after a
cut opened in the 10th.
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AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing
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