Malik Scott Asks Teofimo Lopez To Avoid ‘Tragedy’ Against Shakur Stevenson

The stage at Madison Square Gardens is set for Teofimo Lopez (22-1, 18 KOs) and Shakur Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) to test their mettle in a welterweight showdown. With fight night quickly approaching, trainer Malik Scott wants Lopez to avoid one thing to prevent disappointment inside the ring.

In the latest episode of Inside the Ring, Scott shared his thoughts on the fight, especially emphasizing the moves Lopez needs to be cautious about.

“Shakur has one of the best jabs in the business, in my opinion, especially from a southpaw standpoint. As fighters have this rocking back and forth before their offense, Shakur always catches it and hits you with the jab. He has a great measure of distance, and he has great timing,” he said. “This is something Teo has to avoid.”

There is no denying that Stevenson’s southpaw game is lethal, not because it’s flashy, but because it’s suffocatingly efficient. Everything starts with his lead right-hand control, and he constantly probes with the right jab and right hook to blind, frame, and steer opponents into bad positions.

Moreover, with a straight left that is surgical, he doesn’t throw it wild or in volume. Instead, he waits until opponents step just slightly out of position.

While he has done well against southpaws, Scott still warned Lopez about keeping his lead hand down, as was evident in his fight against Jermaine Ortiz.

“When Teo was going against Ortiz, he was fighting a southpaw with the lead hand down; that’s a tragedy. Why is it a tragedy? Because you’re closer to the opponent’s lead hand and don’t forget Shakur has a very good jab,” he said. “Teo, with his lead hand down, is open to the jab. I highly recommend that he approaches Shakur going into offense with his lead hand up.”

“I Know This Sounds Ridiculous”

Teddy Atlas, on the other hand, thinks that Lopez’s mental well-being is what will be deciding factor on fight night. Talking on his YouTube channel, Atlas exclaimed that Lopez could even pull off a major upset.

“If he’s in a good place, I think this could be the first time that Shakur Stevenson has somebody who can match him with athletic ability,” he said. “Lopez could force Shakur out of his comfort zone. I know this sounds ridiculous, but he could possibly even match Shakur for boxing, and pull off what would be an upset.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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