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Andreas Hale
Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson will meet in a 140-pound clash on Jan. 31 in New York, Turki Alalshikh announced Monday.
Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) will put his WBO and Ring welterweight titles on the line against Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs), who will make his debut at junior welterweight. The showdown between two of boxing’s brightest young talents will headline “The Ring 6” and will be streamed on DAZN.
A venue has yet to be announced.
“This fight between two huge talents will provide an exciting start to our plans for 2026 and as we look to create another great year of boxing events around the world,” said Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and owner of Ring Magazine. “We are looking forward to returning to New York in January and producing another big world title fight that fans have been waiting for.”
Fighting out of Newark, New Jersey, Stevenson is a three-division world champion aiming to add a championship in a fourth weight class. In his last outing in July, Stevenson successfully defended the WBC lightweight title against previously unbeaten William Zepeda.
“I have never shied away from a challenge and always chased the biggest fights in the sport because I know I am one of the best boxers in the world,” Stevenson, 28, said in a statement. “Teofimo Lopez will learn that firsthand on January 31 when I take his belt and show him that there are levels to this game.”
Brooklyn’s Lopez aims to defend his titles for the fourth time since winning them with a wide decision over Josh Taylor in 2023. He easily outpointed Arnold Barboza Jr. in May at Times Square in New York. For Lopez, 28, this fight is also a territorial battle between New York and New Jersey.
“Duck, Duck, Goose! Are you ready for New York City?” Lopez said in a statement. “Brick city in the concrete jungle, so let’s get ready to rumble! The Takeover is here to stay, not play. Make Boxing Great Again is my forte. Shakur will fall in nine.”