O’Shaquie Foster’s majority decision win over Raymond Ford on Saturday night was impressive, but it wasn’t enough to turn Teofimo Lopez into a believer.
Immediately after defending his WBC junior lightweight title in front of his Houston fans at Fertitta Center, Foster (25-3, 12 KOs) went face-to-face with Shakur Stevenson, who was sitting ringside for the fight. Foster , 32, doesn’t care that Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) now campaigns at 140 pounds, and would have no problem moving up in weight to face The Ring and WBO junior welterweight champion. Lopez, however, doesn’t think that’s a good idea. “Honestly, from what I noticed from the fight with Ford, I don’t think so,” Lopez said Monday on "Inside The Ring" when asked if Foster could give Stevenson problems. “I think they had a good talk, good back-and-forth exchange, it’s good for the sport of boxing, good hype, but 10-pound difference? I think that both guys need to focus on what’s in their path and their weight division.” Lopez’s opinion comes from experience, after losing to Stevenson at Madison Square Garden on January 31 in the main event of "Ring 6." From Lopez’s point of view, fighting Stevenson doesn’t make any sense for Foster. It also isn’t his only option. IBF and WBO champion 130-pound champion Emanuel Navarrete stopped Eduardo Nunez in his last bout and a duel between the Mexican and Foster figures to be the best fight remaining at junior lightweight. Foster, if he can’t get Stevenson, has said that Navarrete (40-2-1, 33 KOs) would be the next best option. The way Lopez sees it, however, that’s where his focus needs to be. “This is what I like. This is a 50/50 matchup. I don’t think this would be an easy win for either guy,” Lopez said. “I think it’s all about who wants it more, especially in those championship rounds if it gets there. But Navarette has that secret power that will creep up on you. I think that’s something that would be surprising for Foster if they did fight.”
