Stevenson vs. Teofimo Lopez Odds, Live Stream and KO, Judges' Scorecards Predictions
Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez come together on Saturday night with the two American stars in a junior welterweight bout with Lopez's WBO title on the line.
Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) has put together an undefeated record that has included three world titles. However, he's always battled for the respect of some of his contemporaries.
A win over Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) would take a big step in that direction. Lopez might not be undefeated, but he's the biggest star that Stevenson has taken on his career. Lopez made a name for himself with an upset of Vasiliy Lomachenko and has held on to the WBO title since 2023, when he won it with a win over Josh Taylor.
It's one of the first blockbuster events of 2026 with Stevenson trying to add another championship to his resume in Madison Square Garden.
Fight Odds, Schedule and Scorecard Prediction
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When: Saturday, January 31 at 6 p.m. ET (main event ringwalks at approximately 10:45 p.m.)
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York
Live Stream: DAZN
Tickets: Vivid Seats
Odds: Stevenson -300 ($300 bet to win $100); Lopez +265 ($100 bet wins $265)
Prediction: Stevenson wins via unanimous decision (115-113 x2, 116-112)
Odds via Odds Checker
Preview
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The odds might not shot it, but this is an incredibly compelling title fight matchup. Stevenson comes in as a fairly heavy favorite. His blend of speed, defense and Fight IQ make him a tough matchup for Lopez on paper.
However, there's something to be said for The Takeover's experience in big fights and fight-changing power. Lopez has gone toe to toe with Vasiliy Lomachenko and is also more experienced at 140 pounds.
This will be the first time Stevenson moves up to the division and this is easily the biggest fight he's had as a pro.
Stevenson has faced criticism for his lack of offense and strength of schedule. He can silence those critics with a strong performance on Saturday. He's talked about the disrespect he felt that he hasn't been mentioned among the recent wave of talent that includes Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta "Tank" Davis and Lopez.
"Even though I wasn't in the same weight class as them at the time, we were close enough to fight each other," Stevenson told Andreas Hale of ESPN. "I was doing tremendous things, and I felt then that I was better than all of those guys. I still feel that way. But I just used it as motivation."
That added layer of seeking respect only adds to the intrigue of the style matchup. Stevenson's game is predicated on defense. He's difficult to hit and he does a good job of using his footwork to set up counters.
Lopez is much more aggressive, but he also has the kind of unpredictability to his style that will make it harder for Stevenson to shut down.
If Stevenson feels the pressure to take more risks because of the spotlight then things could get interesting. The challenger will probably take a lot of the early rounds as his defense carries the day.
But this matchup feels like it could be closer than the odds indicate. Lopez is smooth operator himself and it shouldn't be surprising if he starts gaining steam as the fight goes on.
We could be in for a close fight that goes down to the wire even if Stevenson ultimately gets his breakthrough moment.
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