Teofimo Lopez believes that Shakur Stevenson’s retirement was a result of his refusal to accept a salary reduction from Top Rank following his underwhelming performance against Edwin De Los Santos. According to Teofimo, instead of agreeing to the pay cut, which would have been a tough pill to swallow, the three-division world champion decided to retire in order to avoid a decrease in his earnings.
It has been rumored that Shakur’s fight with De Los Santos in November received poor ticket sales at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Additionally, he was heavily criticized by fans for constantly moving around the ring. These factors may have contributed to his decision to retire.
Bob Arum, the head of Top Rank, revealed that the WBC contacted Shakur and inquired about his retirement plans. If he had decided to retire, they would have stripped him of his lightweight title. However, Shakur confirmed that he had no intention of retiring.
Teofimo Lopez, when asked about Shakur’s retirement, expressed his belief that Top Rank refused to pay him the same amount as his previous fight due to his lackluster performance. In response, Shakur decided to retire, confident in his abilities as the best. Teofimo emphasized the importance of accepting pay cuts in order to progress in the sport, stating that fighters can only be built up for so long before reaching the elite level.
If Shakur were to accept the reduced earnings, he would have the opportunity to rebuild his career by performing well in challenging fights, such as facing Raymond Muratalla, even if there is a risk of losing. This would require him to be more aggressive and less focused on avoiding conflict by constantly moving around the ring.
Teofimo explained that reaching the elite level in boxing is not a straightforward path. It requires a gradual climb, with matchmakers, promoters, and networks building a fighter’s confidence. However, true confidence can only be achieved when a fighter demonstrates their skills and takes risks at the elite level. Teofimo cited Keyshawn Davis as an example and expressed his curiosity about whether Davis possesses confidence or cockiness, which will be revealed in his upcoming fight on Thursday night.