In the biggest fight of his career, and one of the best fights that could have been made in boxing, Shakur Stevenson was nearly perfect. Stevenson outclassed Teofimo Lopez Jr. over 12 rounds to win a unanimous decision and claim the WBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight championships.
From the opening moments of the fight, it was clear that this would be a long night for Lopez. Stevenson's pinpoint jab connected over and over, keeping Lopez from getting comfortable at range, and powerful check hooks and left straights made Lopez pay when he did attempt to get his offense going.
Round after round, Lopez was stuck in neutral, and eventually left bloodied, as Stevenson boxed brilliantly. While often a defense-first fighter, Stevenson used his offense as his best defense, something that is clearly reflected in the fight's punch stats.
At the conclusion of the fight, Stevenson held a 165 to 72 advantage in punches landed and a 44% to 15% advantage in connect percentage.
For a fight between two of the best fighters in the world, both 28 years old and in the prime of their careers, the dominance was shocking and led to three official scorecards of 119-109.
"I felt good," Stevenson said after the victory. "I picked him apart, and I did what I was supposed to do. ... I said I've boxed guys like this my entire career. This is the art of boxing. Hit and don't get hit."
Before the fight, Stevenson's first at 140 pounds, he said that it would take a big fight to get him to stay at the weight rather than move back to lightweight, where he holds the WBC championship.
Interestingly, Stevenson called out Conor Benn, who was ringside for the fight. The two exchanged words in the ring, with Benn saying Stevenson is too small and Stevenson saying he isn't afraid of Benn.
For his part, Lopez took the loss well, claiming that it was Stevenson's night and that he would continue fighting on after the loss.
"Definitely want to keep doing this, do what I can," Lopez said. "Maybe 147. A lot of people won't agree to that."
CBS Sports will be with you throughout the entire way on Saturday night with the live results and highlights below.
A near-perfect performance from Stevenson. Lopez couldn't touch him and he could not get out of the way of Stevenson's jab all night long. As impressive as Stevenson has been in his career, this was his best performance yet, and in the biggest fight of his career.
Lopez did manage to connect with a right hand. Stevenson landed a hard left to the body and then brought the same hand to the head. Stevenson was not looking to coast through the final round, instead continuing to land heavy shots. Another big hook landed for Stevenson. After the bell, Lopez jogged around the ring and briefly raised his hand but he has to know there's no chance on the cards.
The right hook counter connected several times early for Stevenson before he continued to drive home the jab. Lopez tried to work to the body. Lopez did connect to the body but continued to eat stinging shots to the head, including a hard straight left from Stevenson. Another big left landed for Stevenson before two shotgun jabs. One more round and Stevenson will walk away as the new WBO junior welterweight champion.
Stevenson's jab and check hook continued to land almost at will. Lopez continued having his best success when he could get inside and throw to the body because Stevenson's head just has not been there to be touched all night. Stevensoncconnected with a few more counter lefts as Lopez tried to jump in to attack. Lopez's cut eyebrow was bleeding worse this round, as Stevenson's jab bashed away.
Stevenson opened with a jab and then brought a left around Lopez's guard. Stevenson landed a few more jabs and then a big check right hook. Another three-punch combo landed for Stevenson at the end of the round. After Lopez's best round of the fight, Stevenson came right back with another strong round.
Lopez landed a right to the body. Lopez kept trying to throw to the body and did land a right upstairs. Stevenson still defended most incoming shots and continued to land the jab at will, but Lopez showed more life through an aggressive approach to working the body. You could make a case that Lopez won that round, though I believe Stevenson edged it out.
Stevenson entered the round with a 78-23 advantage in landed punches. Unsurprisingly, Stevenson was right back on the jab and it continued to land flush. Lopez dipped down with a right to the body. Stevenson responded with a few body shots of his own. More jabs followed for Stevenson before he blocked a Lopez right hand. Not much more to say here, Stevenson is in total control and Lopez doesn't seem to have a plan to fix it.
Jab after jab after jap from Stevenson early in the round, snapping Lopez's head back with each one. Lopez began bleeding over his left eye, right where Stevenson's jab had landed all night. Stevenson dipped to the body with a mean shot right before the bell.
Stevenson landed a left-hand counter after Lopez whiffed on a two-punch combination. Stevenson's counter left hand continued to land as Lopez tried to up the pressure. Stevenson dug to the body with a left hand and then drove home another jab. There are so few meaningful punches landing for Lopez that it's hard to even write when they happen.
Stevenson continued to land his jabs, following up with sharp straight left hands. A left landed for Stevenson and Lopez's glove almost touched the ground after. This is an absolute blowout through four rounds. Lopez can't land anything cleanly and Stevenson is so sharp in his offense. Lopez might have to go for broke at some point because he can not win a straight-up boxing match.
Stevenson connected with a hard straight left hand in the opening seconds. Stevenson's jab connected again. Stevenson countered with a left hook that landed well. Another straight left landed well for Stevenson as Lopez continued to struggle to solve the puzzle in front of him. Lopez got in with a right hand to the body. Stevenson continued slipping Lopez's punches before connecting with the left hand yet again. Dominant stuff through three for Stevenson.
Stevenson continued to work the jab, controlling the action with the most basic punch in any fighter's toolbox. Stevenson landed a looping left, and Lopez came back with a glancing right of his own. Stevenson landed a short right-hand counter as Lopez tried to lunge in. Lopez threw a pair of jabs to the body. It's also worth noting that Lopez was biting hard on some Stevenson feints in that round.
Lopez came out popping the jab before missing a right hand and Stevenson tagged him with a right of his own. Stevenson connected with a solid jab, and another shortly after. Lopez connected with a left hook. Stevenson connected with several more jabs and then a hard left straight behind. Stevenson landed a few more jabs late in the round as he got off to a very solid start.
Stevenson is a -360 favorite as the fighters are ready to start their ring walks. Stevenson has never tasted defeat, while Lopez has lost one fight in his professional career. This is a battle of Stevenson's elite pure boxing skills against Lopez's speed, power and size. It's one of the best fights that can be made in boxing and it is up next.
Davis poured on the attack throughout the round, but it took until the final seconds of the fight for him to find the fight-ending shot. Another cracking body shot sent Ortiz to his knee for the second time in the fight, and the referee stepped in to call off the fight. Huge, huge performance for Davis against a very tough opponent. Davis is an immediate player in the 140-pound division.
A sweeping left to the body from Davis sent Ortiz to his knee. Ortiz got back to his feet at nine of the referee's count and Davis looked to pour it on. Davis cracked with a hard right to Ortiz's swollen eye. Davis began to showboat in between landing more thudding shots. Davis has one more round to try to become the first man to stop Ortiz, but he has this one locked up on the scorecards already.
Ortiz tried to change things up by standing toe to toe and exchanging punches with Davis. That allowed Ortiz to land a few shots, but he ate just as many and it led to some significant swelling around Ortiz's left eye. Davis punished Ortiz in that round, and if standing toe-to-toe isn't working after trying to use movement earlier, I'm not sure what chance there is for Ortiz to find some late path to victory.
Ortiz had a few moments midway through the round but those were quickly wiped out by hard combinations and right hands from Davis. The statained success just hasn't been there for Ortiz all night. Ortiz landed a good right to the body, but the shot was answered by another sharp Davis right hand. That was a round where Davis mostly took it off but likely still won it.
Davis connected with some hard left hooks in the first minute of the round. Another left landed at the 90-second mark as Davis drew Ortiz in to chase him along the ropes. Davis is steadily pulling away by mostly doing the same thing every round and Ortiz isn't doing enough to force Davis to do anything else. It's fairly easy work for Davis.
Davis cracked Ortiz with a hard right hand along the ropes early. Davis has taken advantage of any time Ortiz ends up with his back against the ropes. Ortiz did land a good counter right hand and Davis responded by sticking out his tongue. Ortiz just isn't doing enough, even when he has his best moments, to overcome Davis' most consistent attack and commanding jab.
Davis used some slick movement and a hard jab to control much of the round. Ortiz's moments come when he occasionally uses a jab or bulls his way in to just throw a brief flurry. Despite those moments, this is very much a Davis fight. Ortiz is starting to run out of time in this one.
Davis cracked hard to the body again in the round as he started to snuff out the momentum Ortiz had built in the previous round. In the final minute of the round, Davis landed a hard body punch that seemed to bother Ortiz a bit. If that body work continues, it could be Davis' path to getting a stoppage. Davis' right hand also connected well late in the round.
Ortiz started having a bit more success in the sixth by stepping in with good timing and catching davis. This had Davis moving backward for the first time in the fight. Davis cracked Ortiz with a good body shot late, but that was probably the first round in the books for Ortiz as he threw Davis' timing off for most of the round.
Davis has mixed in good body work through the fight so far, but it's his right hand to the head that is doing the most work. Ortiz landed his best punch of the fight with a hard left hand that set up a short flurry. Ortiz drew Davis in for another left seconds later. It was still probably a Davis round, but Ortiz found a bit of daylight late in the round.
