TLDR
- Dalton Smith predicts Shakur Stevenson will defeat Teofimo Lopez by points on January 31 at Madison Square Garden
- Smith plans to attend the fight and wants to face the winner after knocking out Subriel Matias for the WBC title
- Promoter Eddie Hearn expects a tactical 50-50 chess match between two elite technicians in their prime
- Stevenson is the betting favorite at -295 odds while Lopez is listed as a +225 underdog
- Lopez defends his WBO title with a 22-1 record while undefeated Stevenson (24-0) seeks to become a four-division champion
Sources: Boxing News Online | The Ring Magazine | Sky Sports Boxing | Matchroom Boxing
Newly crowned WBC super-lightweight champion Dalton Smith believes Shakur Stevenson will defeat Teofimo Lopez by points when they meet January 31 at Madison Square Garden. Smith plans to attend the WBO title fight and has his eyes on facing the winner.
Smith knocked out Subriel Matias in Brooklyn last weekend to capture the WBC belt in one of the most impressive away wins by a British fighter in recent memory. The victory opened the door for future world title showdowns in Sheffield.
“I will probably be over there watching it,” Smith told Sky Sports. “It is a great fight and obviously I have my eyes on that as a potential opponent for those guys next.”
Smith said he is “favouring Shakur (Stevenson) on points” in the highly anticipated matchup between two of the division’s top technicians.
A 50-50 Chess Match
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who is promoting the event, expects a tactical battle between the two elite fighters. He described the fight as a “50-50, tit-for-tat matchup” that will likely be decided by whoever takes control of the close rounds.
“I think it’s a fight that could be a little bit of a chess match early on,” Hearn said. “You have two guys who are very reactive, super sharp, feint and set traps, and with tremendous boxing IQ and footwork.”
Hearn praised both fighters for competing in their prime. “The best thing about this fight is that we are seeing them in their prime, and that’s what we need to make greats,” he said.
Lopez enters the fight as The Ring and WBO junior welterweight champion with a record of 22-1 and 13 knockouts. He last fought in May, defeating Arnold Barboza Jr. by unanimous decision.
Stevenson brings an undefeated record of 24-0 with 11 knockouts. The current WBC lightweight champion is ranked No. 7 pound-for-pound and aims to become a four-division titleholder.
Smith Ready for Any Challenge
The British champion made clear he will fight whoever necessary to achieve his goals in the 140-pound division. “I always said I want to be a world champion, a WBC world champion, and I will fight whoever to do that,” Smith said.
Smith expressed confidence in his ability to compete with the division’s best. “I believed in myself, that I would be a world champion, I have done that. Let’s see what more we can achieve,” he said.
Hearn believes Stevenson is underrated despite his accomplishments. “I think Shakur is massively underrated in terms of his achievements and abilities,” the promoter said.
He also noted that Lopez typically performs well in big fights. “Teofimo always rises to the occasion,” Hearn said. “This fight is different between two of the elite fighters of our generation.”
According to DraftKings, Stevenson is the betting favorite at -295 odds. Lopez is listed as a +225 underdog.
The Ring 6 event is available via pay-per-view for $69.99 in the United States and £24.99 in the United Kingdom. The card features two additional world title contests and is included for DAZN Ultimate plan subscribers.
