Typically, press conferences before mega fights bring little drama and are more of a promotional tool.
Thursday’s presser with Ring Magazine and WBO super lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez and WBC lightweight titlist Shakur Stevenson brought plenty of drama and substance ahead of Saturday’s headliner from a sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Ring 6: Lopez v Stevenson | Sunday 1 Feb from 10am AEDT | Brooklyn-born Teofimo Lopez will defend his Ring and WBO Junior Welterweight titles when he takes on Newark, NJ native Shakur Stevenson at The Garden. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Normally, Stevenson is cool, calm, and collected — but it didn’t take long for Lopez to get under his skin.
Lopez provoked Stevenson by using sexual expletives with Stevenson telling the 140-pound champion that he would ‘smack the s—t out of your (Lopez’s) b—ch a—”.
That incident led Stevenson to rise from his chair to confront Lopez. Security intervened to prevent a further incident.
Lopez’s father and trainer, Teofimo Lopez Sr., wasn’t at the press conference due to being under the weather.
Lopez declined to elaborate any further beyond saying his father was “downloading”. But that didn’t prevent Stevenson from trying to escalate the situation.
Stevenson alleged that Teofimo Sr. was in the fighter’s hotel lobby “drugged out”, which hasn’t been proven to be accurate.
The three-division world champion went on to tell Lopez he had a gift for Teofimo Sr. he wanted to give him.
Lopez obliged, saying, “You never deny a gift”. Stevenson took a bottle of tequila out of the bag.
Stevenson walked over to Teofimo Jr.’s side and handed a security guard the bottle. The lightweight champion’s team kept insisting that Lopez Sr. was recovering from a hangover.
Lopez didn’t take the bait and insisted that Stevenson and his entourage are so worried about his dad that they bought him a gift.
The presser concluded shortly thereafter. Lopez and Stevenson had an intense face-to-face staredown, with the latter talking trash.
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Stevenson stood facing the media while Lopez kept glaring at him. Stevenson nudged his shoulder and walked off.
He walked around security trying to find a way to Lopez. He was unsuccessful but he made sure to get every last word in.
This article first appeared on DAZN.com and was reproduced with permission.