Shakur Stevenson joined Ariel Helwani to discuss his upcoming super-fight against Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden. Stevenson reveals his move to 140 lbs is specifically to chase legacy, not just a title. He dismisses Teofimo Lopez as “legit crazy” but respects his danger in the ring. In a surprising turn, Shakur details his sparring sessions with Jake Paul, claiming the YouTuber-turned-boxer is far better than the public perception.

• Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York City (The Main Arena).
• Weight Class: 140 lbs (Super Lightweight). Shakur clarifies he is naturally a 135-pounder but is moving up solely for this legacy fight.
• The “A-Side”: While Teofimo may be marketed as the A-side due to titles, Shakur insists he is the true draw and anticipates the crowd will be 75/25 in his favor.
• Psychological Warfare: Shakur describes Teofimo as “delusional” and “not all the way there mentally,” which he argues makes Lopez a dangerous, unpredictable opponent.

Targeting Conor Benn (2026): Shakur explicitly names Conor Benn as a target for 2026, potentially at 147 lbs, following the Teofimo bout. He cited Benn’s recent performance against Chris Eubank Jr. as a reason for interest.

The Jake Paul Revelation: Shakur revealed he sparred 6-7 rounds with Jake Paul in Puerto Rico. His assessment was surprisingly positive:

• Describes Jake as “better than people think” with good instincts to not get hit.
• Notes that Jake is taking the craft seriously with a professional camp.
• Prediction vs. AJ: Despite praising Jake, Shakur says “Hell no” to Jake beating Anthony Joshua (AJ), but predicts Jake will not be knocked out in the first round due to his survival instincts.

Shakur expressed genuine irritation with O’Shaquie Foster, accusing him of lying about past sparring sessions. Stevenson stated he usually doesn’t mind call-outs, but lying about what happened in the gym crosses a line of integrity. He hinted he might want to handle that “outside the ring.”