If not Gervonta Davis, then what should be Shakur Stevenson‘s next move? Given his bond with  Keyshawn Davis, a fight with close friend appears unlikely. IBF champion Vasyl Lomachenko‘s plans remain unclear. So, what are the viable options left for the Olympian?

It seems that he has found a way forward. Why not challenge someone with whom ‘Tank’ Davis has previously sparred with? Gervonta Davis and Teofimo Lopez have exchanged jabs in the gym. Clips of their exchanges have gone viral in the past.

Naturally, a frenzy erupted on social media after fans noticed intriguing exchanges between Lopez and Stevenson. Having already conquered three divisions, moving to a fourth doesn’t seem too daunting for the Newark native. While Stevenson recently defeated Josh Padley on the Last Crescendo, Lopez is set to kick off his year with a fight against Arnold Barboza Jr. If schedules align, a matchup between the two could send waves across the boxing universe.

Step Into the Ring, Teo: Shakur Stevenson

To test out the waters, Shakur Stevenson made an unexpected callout, drawing a reaction from The Takeover. Echoing Jadier Herrera‘s sentiments, the light welterweight champion made it clear what he wanted next. Reports suggest that before finalizing his fight with Josh Padley, one of the top contenders for Stevenson was the Cuba-born, UAE-based lightweight Jadier Herrera.

A boxing news clip featured Herrera calling out Stevenson: “I’m here no for no play, you know what I’m saying. I’m here for no playing. Send me a contract. I know I no baby; send me a contract. I will kill you. Send me a contract.” To that, Teofimo Lopez added: “#Boxing, this is how I’m feeling.”

It didn’t take long before he received a response—from an altogether surprising corner. “How bout u fight me next, Teo… Let’s line it up; we both do business wit the same people. 🤫. I’ll go 140 for this on God,” said Shakur Stevenson.

A back-and-forth erupted. When Lopez teased, “@ShakurStevenson. I got 14 knockouts! I NO BABY 🤌 #Boxing #Comical,” Stevenson doubled down, “Run it, ni**a, let’s make it happen 🤫.” Later, the Olympic silver medalist confidently asserted that he would become a four-division champion by the time he turns 28 in June. He challenged Lopez to either agree to the fight or stop mentioning his name.

A huge fight in the making, if it comes together

This isn’t the first time Stevenson has made his intentions clear. Speaking on former champion Shawn Showtime Porter’s podcast, The PorterWay Podcast Clips, he stated that he is open to fighting Lopez at 140 pounds, but not at 147 pounds.

But what about Lopez? How does he feel about a potential mega-fight? While he has called out Stevenson, it seems he has had some reservations. Speaking on Is What It Is, Lopez reflected on their amateur days. Recalling a 2015 National Golden Gloves tournament in Las Vegas, where Stevenson allegedly took a defeat very badly, Lopez suggested that, given the incident, he wouldn’t want to be the one to hand Stevenson his first professional loss.

It was a strong statement, but also a strange way to frame his reluctance. On one hand, Lopez appeared concerned, but on the other, some fans thought it sounded like an excuse for avoiding the fight. What do you think? Since Stevenson is clearly eager, should Teofimo Lopez take the fight once he’s done with Barboza?