Shakur Stevenson: Emiliano Vargas Says Body Shots Could Be the Key
Emiliano Vargas believes shakur stevenson can be solved with work to the body, pointing to Stevenson’s January win over Teofimo Lopez as the fight that showed a possible opening. Vargas made the case while speaking to Ring Magazine, and his comments put fresh pressure on the unbeaten champion as he stays at super-lightweight for now.
Stevenson delivered one of the performances of the year in January when he outpointed Teofimo Lopez to win the WBO super-lightweight title and become a four-division world champion. The victory also pushed him into a new phase at 140 pounds after his return to lightweight plans was halted when he was stripped of his WBC 135-pound title.
Now, instead of a move up to welterweight, Stevenson appears set to remain at super-lightweight in the near term. That has opened the door for ambitious contenders to start calling out the division’s top name, and Vargas is among the loudest of them.
Vargas sees an opening in shakur stevenson’s body work
Vargas, a Nevada-based 21-year-old and son of former two-time super-lightweight world champion Fernando Vargas, said he respected what Stevenson did against Lopez, but still believes the champion showed something that can be tested. He said every fighter needs a different approach, and he believes the key is sustained pressure downstairs.
“Shakur looked amazing in his last fight, he honestly surprised me and a lot of other people so I give my kudos to him, ” Vargas said. “Honestly, Teofimo was doing a great job when he was going to the body and really, after that, he had his moments to the body and then Shakur would keep him on the outside. ”
Vargas added that Stevenson himself has acknowledged how much body shots can matter, saying he believes fighters hate taking them. For now, that remains the 21-year-old’s theory, not a proven formula. But it is the clearest challenge yet from a young contender ranked at No. 5 by the WBO.
Why the challenge matters now
Stevenson’s win over Lopez was more than a close decision; it was a wide, controlled performance that confirmed how strong he looked at 140 pounds. That makes Vargas’s read a bold one, because it asks future challengers to do more than simply survive with Stevenson. They would need to break his rhythm.
Vargas is already positioned near the front of the line, and that is what gives his comments weight. If he keeps winning, he could move into a fight that would let him test his theory against shakur stevenson under real title pressure.
What comes next for shakur stevenson and Vargas
For now, the immediate question is not whether Vargas has identified a flaw, but whether he can earn the chance to prove it. Stevenson remains the champion at super-lightweight, while Vargas keeps building his case in the same division and waiting for his opportunity to arrive. If that fight ever comes together, shakur stevenson will enter it with the burden of answering a very specific challenge: body shots.
