Since Turki Alalshikh’s involvement in boxing two years ago, we’ve been treated to some cracking match-ups: Beterbiev vs Bivol, Fury vs Usyk, and Canelo vs Crawford, to name a few.

What’s being touted for January 2026 is right up there. A mouth-watering clash between WBO Light-Welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez and WBC Lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson.

Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) would be stepping up to the 140lb division to challenge for the WBO belt. It might not be a barn burner, but it promises to be a battle between two elite technicians. Fighters who could genuinely bring the best out of each other.

Stevenson’s often criticised for his safety-first style of boxing, but I’m not one of those critics. His footwork, hand speed, and ring generalship are a joy to watch.

Since winning silver at the 2016 Olympics, losing to Cuba’s Robeisy Ramirez in the final, Stevenson has carved out a career any boxer would be proud of. He’s beaten the likes of Jamel Herring, Oscar Valdez, and William Zepeda, while collecting titles at Featherweight, Super Featherweight, and Lightweight.

Being a three-weight world champion at 28 is no mean feat. But with Shakur, you get the sense there’s still so much more to come. He’s a phenomenal talent.

A fight with Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis at lightweight has never looked close to happening, so moving up to claim a title at a fourth different weight class seems the logical next step.

In the other corner, Teofimo Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) is something of an enigma. A fighter who can look mustard one day and mouldy mayonnaise the next.

At his best, he’s a sharp-shooting counterpuncher with speed and athleticism to burn. At his worst, he looks almost disinterested;  happy to coast to decision wins.

His breakout performance came against Ukrainian future Hall of Famer Vasily Lomachenko in October 2020. A sharp, measured display saw Lopez win via unanimous decision, handing Lomachenko only his second career defeat.

Lopez’s sole loss came a year later to George Kambosos who was hungrier on the night. Dropped in round one, Lopez lost a split decision, relinquishing his WBA, IBF, WBO, and Ring Magazine belts.

The back and forth between Lopez and Stevenson has already kicked off on socials. Lopez is a master at drawing attention, and the verbal sparring is well underway.

As yet, no date or venue has been confirmed, so a more detailed look at this fantastic match-up will be warranted nearer the time.

For now, I just hope this fight gets signed off. If it does, we’re in for a treat.

Images: Getty