Jaron “Boots” Ennis has delivered a confident prediction ahead of Saturday’s clash between Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson, forecasting a dominant performance from Stevenson. The two Americans meet at Madison Square Garden, with Lopez putting his WBO world super-lightweight title on the line.
Lopez enters the bout as an established force at 140lbs, having rebuilt his career since his lone professional defeat to George Kambosos Jr. more than four years ago. After his standout victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020, Lopez dethroned Josh Taylor in 2023 and has since recorded three consecutive WBO title defenses, most recently outpointing Arnold Barboza Jr in May.
Stevenson, meanwhile, arrives with a steadier run of form. The unbeaten three-weight world champion last fought in July, successfully defending his WBC lightweight title with a measured decision win over William Zepeda. Now 28, Stevenson faces what many view as his toughest challenge yet, tasked with neutralizing Lopez’s explosiveness.
Despite expectations of a tightly contested tactical battle, Jaron Ennis sees a clear winner. Speaking with YSM Sports Media, Ennis predicted Stevenson would dominate proceedings, saying he expects Stevenson to “cook” Lopez and win nine of the twelve rounds.
While Stevenson has been installed as the pre-fight favorite, some observers believe Lopez’s abilities are being underestimated. Therefore, Saturday’s bout will determine whether Stevenson’s consistency and control can outweigh Lopez’s championship experience and power at super-lightweight.
Image Credit: Matchroom Boxing