Shakur Stevenson Loses WBC Lightweight Championship Title
Just a few days following his impressive victory against Teofimo Lopez, Shakur Stevenson has officially lost the WBC lightweight championship title. This development comes after Stevenson recently triumphed over Lopez, thereby claiming the WBO super lightweight title during an event held at Madison Square Garden.
WBC’s Decision
Following this fight, Stevenson faced a significant decision: whether to remain in the lightweight division or move up and compete in the super lightweight category. Ultimately, the WBC has made this choice for him.
“Due to Champion Stevenson now holding the WBO Super Lightweight World Championship and in accordance with WBC Rules & Regulations, we have declared our Lightweight World title to be vacant.”
The organization plans to provide additional details on the procedure to establish a new Lightweight World Champion in the near future.
Stevenson’s Title History
With this announcement, Stevenson is stripped of the lightweight title he earned after a closely contested unanimous decision against Edwin De Los Santos in November 2023. That matchup was widely criticized as one of the least exciting fights of the year. Following that, Stevenson had two lackluster title defenses against Artem Harutyunyan and Josh Padley.
However, he soon regained his top form, showcasing his skills in a dominant unanimous decision victory over William Zepeda this past July, a performance that was regarded as the most thrilling of his career and highlighted his ability to engage effectively in exchanges.
Future Prospects
The 28-year-old’s newfound confidence carried over into his match against Lopez, where he again opted for a more aggressive approach, relying on limited movement to win. Meanwhile, Jadier Herrera is currently recognized as the WBC’s interim champion, although it remains unclear if he will be elevated to the status of full champion, given the WBC’s unpredictable approach to such matters. Zepeda is positioned as the No. 1 contender in the division.
