Shakur Stevenson was trying hard to disguise his glee after the report that his WBC mandatory O’Shaquie Foster has chosen to vacate his interim title to return to 130. What a nightmare that would have been for Shakur.
Shakur’s Hidden Relief
That gets rid of a thorn in Shakur’s heel because he no longer has to worry about defending against the highly skilled Foster. It was revealed tonight that Foster (24-3, 12 KOs) will vacate his newly won WBC interim lightweight title to move back down to super featherweight to retain his WBC belt.
Mandatory Nightmare Avoided
“Huh? 😂 Yeah, catch me Jan 31st, I’m ready to Takeover the Takeover!!” said Shakur Stevenson on X, moments after the report of O’Shaquie Foster choosing to vacate his WBC interim lightweight to return to 130.
It’s still unlikely that Stevenson is going to return to 135 to defend his WBC lightweight title. But holding the title temporarily increases his cache, his marketability. So, if he does defeat Teofimo, he can bask in the afterglow of being a two-division world champion for a brief time before the WBC forces him to decide.
Keeping either of the belts is hazardous for Shakur’s health because there are too many predators that will be coming after him. He’s just into money at this point in his career and acknowledged it yesterday at the kickoff press conference for his fight with Teofimo.
The millions that Shakur got from Turki Alalshikh in his last fight against William Zepeda have turned him into a monster. He’s consumed with collecting more wealth. If he beats Lopez, we’ll see him next at 147, fighting one of these three:
Devin Haney
Ryan Garcia
Conor Benn
Turki’s “Big Fight” Promise
Turki already said at the press conference yesterday that he’s got a “big fight” for the winner of the Stevenson vs. Lopez fight in the spring. That big fight isn’t going to be against any of the 140-pounders because none of them are marketable.
Stevenson is fighting on January 31st in what is believed to be a career-high payday against WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez on January 31st, 2026. The vulture-esque Shakur is chasing money and sees Lopez as a vulnerable guy that he can beat.
Teofimo’s Vulnerabilities Exposed
He openly says he’s been watching Teo for years, wanting to fight him. It’s classic bird-of-prey behavior. He spotted vulnerability in him ages ago. It’s not like Stevenson has had to look hard. Everyone could see that Lopez has been lame since his loss to George Kambosos Jr. in 2021.
His two controversial wins over Sandor Martin and Jamaine Ortiz cemented the fact that he’s got weaknesses that can be exploited. Teofimo’s former promoters at Top Rank wisely chose not to match him against the top 140-pounders, Gary Antuanne Russell, Richardson Hitchins, and Subriel Matias.
Nation Vegas has been writing on the fight game since 2012 and is now a featured writer with Boxing News 24. Over the years, he has built a reputation for strong coverage of both major events and rising prospects, delivering news, fight reports, and feature commentary that connect with fans worldwide. Known for his crisp, energetic style, Nation brings a fan-first perspective with the sharp analysis of a seasoned observer of the sport.
Boxing News 24 » O’Shaquie Foster Bails on 135, Saving Shakur From a Nightmare Mandatory
Last Updated on 12/11/2025