Teofimo Lopez will return to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night with a familiar sense of occasion and, he insists, a very different mindset.
The 28-year-old won his first world title in the arena six years ago. Since then he has been champion at lightweight and junior welterweight, suffered a shock defeat to George Kambosos Jr, rebuilt his career and, briefly, stepped away from boxing in frustration at what he felt was a lack of recognition. Now he faces Shakur Stevenson in one of the most anticipated fights of the year.
Lopez said the biggest change has been to the mental side of his approach.
‘Honestly, I’ve developed so much just in the span of this year alone – even in this last month,’ he said. ‘But from 22 to 28, obviously, if you don’t see the change you’re pursuing, there’s a problem. I’ve learned so much, especially mentally, how to carry myself more and not let small things get to me.’
That growth, he believes, is tied to the uneven nature of his career – the nights when the best version of Lopez appeared and the nights when it did not, and what he has learned about making sure the best version shows up every time.
‘What I learned mainly about myself is that I’m a human being, just like all of us,’ he said. ‘We’re all going to have our days. Every dog has its day. That doesn’t mean champions like myself aren’t going to have those days.
Teofimo Lopez will return to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night with a familiar sense of occasion and, he insists, a very different mindset
He won his first world title in the arena six years ago. Since then he has been champion at lightweight and junior welterweight, suffered a shock defeat to George Kambosos Jr (above)
‘Instead of looking at them as anchors to weigh you down, you’ve got to look at them as something that grounds you and makes you realise: what did you learn from it? I really take everything I went through as a good lesson. Now I’ve got my fight-day routine nailed down.’
For years, Lopez has spoken openly about feeling overlooked, even after unifying the lightweight titles by beating Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020. That frustration contributed to his brief retirement announcement in 2023.
Asked whether a victory over Stevenson would finally deliver the recognition he believes he deserves, Lopez said he has stopped chasing it.
‘I’m not really focused on it anymore. I let go of it,’ he said. ‘I realised that whether I get it or not is not the purpose of why I do what I do. The purpose is to shine light on others who want to become me or be better.
‘I learned more about that than trying to glorify myself in the limelight. That’s for something higher than us. Even with this fight, I’m not fixated on, “Is this going to make everything happen now?” It’s more like: damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I don’t even care anymore.’
Lopez framed that shift as part of a broader acceptance that achievement and recognition rarely move in parallel, and that the sacrifices required to reach the top are not always publicly rewarded, but are still worth making.
‘It’s definitely worth it,’ he said of the sacrifices required to reach the top. ‘There are people who work years, decades in a company and don’t get the promotions they feel they deserve. Then one guy comes in – he knows somebody, he’s the cousin, the brother, the grandson and he gets elevated without the knowledge. That’s life.
‘I can relate to a lot of people, whether it’s a nine-to-five or a nine-to-nine job. You’ve got to be content with where you’re at. It’s going to make you tougher in the long run, because when all hell breaks loose, you’ll be calm while the guy who got promoted is going to panic.’
For years, Lopez has spoken openly about feeling overlooked, even after unifying the lightweight titles by beating Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020
Asked whether a victory over Stevenson would finally deliver the recognition he believes he deserves, Lopez said he has stopped chasing it
Inside the ring, Lopez has been vocal about his belief that he can ‘break’ Stevenson mentally as well as physically, despite Stevenson’s reputation as one of boxing’s most elusive defensive fighters.
‘You’ve got to have heart,’ Lopez said. ‘You can’t just have people backing you and hyping you up. That’s what I love about boxing, you’ve got to back it up, and you’re the only one who can defend it afterwards.
‘With the opposition he’s had, yeah, it’ll be a good fight for as long as it can be. But after that, it’s food for me.’
Lopez dismissed the idea that his confidence is based on a widely circulated clip of Stevenson appearing to struggle in sparring with Devin Haney.
‘No, that’s only three rounds. There’s no knowledge there,’ he said. ‘It’s from seeing each other in the amateurs, growing up, competing in different weight classes, quarterfinals, semis, finals. You see the styles against specific styles, orthodox fighters, strong fighters.
‘He has the arsenal to handle what comes to him, but for how long? William Zepeda was a prime example. They thought he could, but no offense – those were just bunches and punches. They weren’t effective shots.’
Lopez said his focus on Saturday will be control rather than emotion, aware that while he thrives when opponents come to him and allow him to counterpunch and impose himself, he cannot afford to grow frustrated if Stevenson chooses to sit back and fight defensively.
‘The frustration part is out the window,’ he said. ‘It’s about dictating the fight. That doesn’t mean being the complete aggressor and looking sloppy. It’s controlled aggression.’
Lopez has been vocal about his belief that he can ‘break’ Stevenson mentally as well as physically, despite Stevenson’s reputation as one of boxing’s most elusive defensive fighters
He also rejected the idea that Stevenson’s defence makes him untouchable, pointing to his own performance against Lomachenko, where he landed more punches in the final round than any previous opponent.
‘I think it’s just a narrative that’s pushed about Shakur Stevenson,’ Lopez said. ‘You can’t hate the game or the player. It’s to make Shakur into something he is not.
‘It’s going to be the sweetest thing to display on Saturday. You can build a guy, help build a guy, but he’s not that guy. I didn’t get that luxury. I was the marble and the sculptor.’
Stevenson has lost fewer than 10 rounds in his professional career, raising questions about whether Lopez will need a knockout to win.
Lopez offered no prediction.
‘Place your bets,’ he said. ‘Let them talk. As long as they’re talking about the fight, everyone’s going to tune in.’