Betting
Teofimo Lopez Jr. vs Shakur Stevenson Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction
Date: Saturday, 31ST January 2026 Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York Ring-walk time: 7 pm EST (12 am BST) Teofimo Lopez Jr. and Shakur Stevenson clash at the iconic Madison Square Garden for the WBO World Junior Welterweight Championship. Lopez has won his last six fights since his only career loss, but takes on Stevenson, who has won all 24 fights he’s been a part of. Which fighter will prevail? SportsBoom recommends spending some time reviewing these recommended boxing betting sites, which we believe offer the best value for your returns.
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Teofimo Lopez celebrates after defeating Steve Claggett / Getty Images
Pre-Fight Odds and Win Probability:
Check out the best online sports betting sites ahead of time for this encounter.
Teofimo Lopez Jr.: 11/4 (3.75) – 26.3%
Draw: 15/2 (8.50) – 10.5%
Shakur Stevenson: 1/6 (1.17) – 85.5%
Forecast odds – Betting available on bet365 closer to event
Tale of the Tape
| Attribute | Teofimo Lopez Jr. | Shakur Stevenson |
| Age | 28 | 28 |
| Height | 5ft 8”(173 cm) | 5ft 7” (170 cm) |
| Reach | 68.5” (174cm) | 68.1” (173cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox | Southpaw |
| Record | 22-1-0 | 24-0-0 |
| KO Wins | 13 | 11 |
| Total Rounds Boxed | 149 | 178 |
| Weight Class/Rounds | WBO Junior Welterweight/12 | WBO Junior Welterweight/12 |
| Titles Held | WBO World and Ring Magazine Super Lightweight Title | WBC Lightweight Title |
| Last Five Results | W (UD), W (UD), W (UD), W (UD), W (SD) | W (UD), W (KO), W (UD), W (UD), W (TKO) |
Teofimo Lopez Jr.
Teofimo Lopez Jr. has held the WBO World Junior Welterweight Championship and The Ring Junior Welterweight Championship since June 2023. He owns a professional record of 22–1 with 13 knockout victories.
Lopez Jr. last competed eight months and 29 days ago, compared to Stevenson’s six months and 19 days. This difference in activity adds further context to the matchup with both titles on the line. Although the 28-year-old has had extensive injuries previously, this hasn’t deterred him from this encounter despite a longer absence from the ring.
Keys for Lopez Jr. to win
With only a small difference in height and reach, Lopez Jr. is likely to start aggressively, forcing exchanges and leveraging his slight reach advantage early in the fight.
Lopez Jr. has also proven himself to be extremely resilient, winning every fight since his sole professional defeat. Having overcome life-threatening injuries early in his career, his tenacity is unquestionable, particularly when facing Stevenson, who enters the ring undefeated in 24 bouts.
Shakur Stevenson
Shakur Stevenson’s undefeated record isn’t by luck, as he’s established himself as one of the most promising talents within his weight class. In a recent fight, he injured his hand three days before his fight yet still competed and won.
Stevenson shared ahead of the game: “I’ve been feeling good. I’ve been sharp, I’ve been focused. Training camp is going well, so now we just wait for the day. I’m ready, I’m definitely coming to shock the world.”
Keys for Stevenson to win
Stevenson’s number one attribute isn’t his reach or clean-cut punches, but his composure and boxing intelligence. He will be tough to beat due to his ability to fend off Lopez’s attacks and potentially frustrate him, wearing him down as the fight progresses through each round.
If Stevenson can control and dictate the pace, he will be able to land punches at key moments.
Value Bets
Fight goes the distance (yes): With both fighters’ strengths evenly matched, it will be hard to separate them, making this an enthralling fight that is expected to go the distance.
Over 11.5 Rounds: Based on our prediction that the fight goes the distance, this fight will have 12 rounds, leading us to suggest the fight will be contested over 11.5 rounds.
Shakur Stevenson by decision: Should the fight go the distance, the judges’ scorecards will decide the winner. Shakur Stevenson is the one I would back to come out on top.
Expert Prediction: Shakur Stevenson by Decision
There are multiple titles on the line in this clash at Madison Square Garden, with this fight is sure to live up to the hype. My betting prediction is that Shakur Stevenson will win because there’s less turnaround time from his previous fight. In addition, he can control the pace and frustrate his opponents, and if he can dictate the flow against Teofimo Lopez Jr., he should win comfortably.
Henry Cheal is a versatile freelance sports journalist with extensive experience in the industry. Henry has previously worked at the 2024 World Snooker Championship and earned a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree from UCFB in 2023.