The Lopez – Stevenson Fight Is Dead In The Water: How Shakur’s Dream Match Collapsed And What’s Next

Talks for a Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson fight have failed to “progress,” and the Saudis are reportedly moving on to Lamont Roach for Stevenson.

Lopez’s Frustration Stalls Talks

Sports Illustrated Senior Writer and DAZN Analyst Chris Mannix reports that there’s been “frustration throughout the process” with Lopez. Interestingly, Lopez said earlier today on X that he’d “already accepted the fight,” and that he would be facing Stevenson in early next year.

Shakur responded to Teofimo’s comment, accusing him of “trying to save face” after the backlash on social media over ghosting him after his callout.

A Less-Than-Thrilling Alternative

Roach, 30, isn’t as well known as Lopez, and it’s a harder fight to sell on DAZN PPV, if that’s what the Saudis have in mind with a Stevenson-Roach contest. It would be a good undercard fight at the three or four spot on one of Turki Alalshikh’s cards, but it wouldn’t be headliner or co-feature material.

Roach (25-1-2, 10 KOs) is a pure boxer, and so is Shakur. So, it would be two boxers in a chess match-type fight. The ultra-hardcore boxing fans who enjoy the fencing-type amateur style that Stevenson and Roach use would enjoy a fight between them. But for fans who like to see action, brawling, and mixing it up, it would be a disappointment for a headliner.

The fight would be similar to when O’Shaquie Foster fought Robinson Conceicao last year for the first time on July 6, 2024, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The fans at ringside booed the lack of action from the two defensive fighters.

There has been no progress in talks for a Teofimo Lopez-Shakur Stevenson fight and Saudi officials are moving on, sources told @SInow. There has been frustration with Lopez throughout the process, I’m told. The focus has shifted to finding another opponent for Stevenson, w/Lamont…

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) August 22, 2025

Don’t be on here saving face, I ain’t heard nun bout u accepting the fight yet lil dude https://t.co/cps0eXUN0q

— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) August 22, 2025

Mannix didn’t say what kind of problem the Saudis were dealing with in negotiating with Lopez. He didn’t mention if he was pricing himself out or asking for something else that was stalling the talks.

WBC lightweight champion Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) has been looking forward to fighting Teofimo. He’s been calling out the Brooklyn, New York native since last July, and gotten nowhere with his efforts.