American stars meet at sold-out Madison Square Garden
Stevenson rises to 140lb in bid for title in fourth division
López enters in rare underdog role that suits his history
When Teófimo López and Shakur Stevenson come together on Saturday night inside the big room at Madison Square Garden, a junior welterweight title and a claim to American fistic supremacy will be on the line before a sold-out crowd of more than 20,000 spectators.
Two of the finest US-born fighters of their generation are set to collide in a delicious matchup that pits volatility against control, power against precision, chaotic ambition against measured discipline. Both men arrive as world champions across multiple weight classes, both are 28 and prime, and both view the contest as a gateway to pound-for-pound recognition and the untold opportunities it confers.