Crawford Ranks Shakur Above Lomachenko Earlier than Lopez Combat

“Shakur is levels above those fighters,” Crawford said.

The implication is clear. In Crawford’s view, Stevenson sits above Vasiliy Lomachenko, the southpaw who forced Lopez into his most demanding fight and pushed him through twelve hard rounds at championship pace. That is the standard Crawford is waving aside.

Lopez solved Lomachenko by controlling range early, limiting volume, and forcing the fight to be won in bursts rather than rhythm. It remains the most complete performance of his career. No other opponent has required the same level of discipline or adjustment from him.

Crawford’s claim asks the sport to accept that Stevenson already exceeds that test.

There is little debate about Stevenson’s defensive command. His distance control and timing travel against anyone. The open question has been the other side of the equation. Stevenson has not yet been forced to impose offense at a sustained elite pace against an opponent who refuses to be managed or slowed.

Lopez does not allow comfort. He looks to disrupt patterns, force exchanges, and win moments with speed and power rather than volume. That is the problem Lomachenko posed in reverse, and it is the problem Stevenson will be asked to solve.

Crawford may be seeing the finished version early. He has earned the right to that view. Saturday determines whether Stevenson has already reached the level Crawford is assigning to him, or whether that elevation still requires proof against the one benchmark that has held up.