Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez’s game of hints and guesses seems to have taken a new turn. The lightweight champion and the light welterweight champion have been at loggerheads for some time. Now, talk of their dream matchup has reached the next stage. But instead of raising hopes for a showdown, their latest exchange was filled with claims and counterclaims.

The Twitter squabble erupted amid rumors of Shakur Stevenson expressing interest in a matchup with Lamont Roach Jr. The super featherweight champion has been left in limbo following reports that Gervonta Davis, whom he fought earlier in March, has entered an exhibition deal with Jake Paul. Their first fight ended in a controversial draw. To set the record straight, most expected a rematch, which even received a tentative August date. Maybe indirectly, still, the verbal duel between Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez gave fans further clarity on the status of the Roach matchup.

Shakur Stevenson to Teofimo Lopez: Cut the act

Mincing no words, Shakur Stevenson fired on X: “Don’t be on here saving face; I ain’t heard nun bout u accepting the fight yet lil dude.” He was responding to Teofimo Lopez, who had written that he had already ‘accepted the fight’ and expected a meeting at the beginning of next year.

Interestingly, the Shakur-Teo back-and-forth originated from an innocuous query by a random user. As it often happens. Reacting to a Brunch Boxing update on Lamont Roach Jr.’s claim that Stevenson would not be fighting for the remainder of 2025, a follower sought clarification from the Newark native. Stevenson obliged with a direct response.

He said, “Lamont was getting ready for the rematch, so he gone have a in between fight and then fight me top of the year.. But it’s only if Teo doesn’t accept the fight tho.” Roach Jr.’s latest comments in an interview with Pro Box corroborated Stevenson’s remarks.

“I think aside from the rematch, the best fight for me and the best fight for the division is me versus Shakur Stevenson,” he stated. Just weeks ago, the Stevenson–Lopez war of words had intensified.

Lopez vs Stevenson: Trading shots outside the ring

The hints were easy to spot. “See now, if I smack you at the press conference, I’m wrong,” said Shakur Stevenson in response to a tweet from Teofimo Lopez, who wrote: “After I whoop on @ShakurStevenson and make him cry like the little bit*h he is… I am calling out @RyanGarcia.”

In another post, Lopez shared a picture of himself standing alongside Richardson Hitchins and Shakur Stevenson. He asked fans and followers to suggest “which one” should be his next fight. Inevitably, he got a reply from the Olympic silver medalist: “You called me out, lil dude. I told you I’m down 🤫.

And it goes back even further. No sooner had Stevenson dispatched last-minute replacement Josh Padley than Lopez stepped in to slam his performance. “You couldn’t even put Josh Padley down within six. You’re trash; you’re garbage. You’re talking to yourself on Twitter because you don’t have any friends,” the light welterweight champion said.

With Gervonta Davis heading toward the Jake Paul fight, the lightweight division, one of boxing’s most talented, is currently in a quandary. It badly needs a showdown that not only restores its reputation but also lifts fans’ spirits. A fight between Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez makes a compelling case.

Alternatively, if Lamont Roach enters the fray, that scenario is equally intriguing.

So what’s your take? Would you rather see Shakur Stevenson test himself against Teofimo Lopez first or face Roach Jr. instead?