Lopez tells Foster to target Navarrete, not Stevenson

Teofimo Lopez thinks O'Shaquie Foster should stay in his lane after the Houston native defended his WBC junior lightweight title against Raymond Ford on Saturday.

Foster went face-to-face with Shakur Stevenson at ringside immediately after his majority decision win at Fertitta Center, signaling interest in following Stevenson up to 140 pounds for a unification bout. Lopez, who lost to Stevenson at Madison Square Garden on January 31, told The Ring this week that Foster would be better off targeting IBF and WBO champion Emanuel Navarrete instead.

Why Lopez sees Navarrete as the right matchup

Lopez called a potential Foster-Navarrete clash a true toss-up. "This is a 50/50 matchup. I don't think this would be an easy win for either guy," he said Monday on Inside The Ring. "I think it's all about who wants it more, especially in those championship rounds if it gets there. But Navarrete has that secret power that will creep up on you."

The former unified lightweight champion questioned whether Foster could handle Stevenson's skill set, particularly with a 10-pound weight gap in play. "Honestly, from what I noticed from the fight with Ford, I don't think so," Lopez said when asked if Foster could give Stevenson problems. "I think both guys need to focus on what's in their path and their weight division."

Navarrete stopped Eduardo Nunez in his last outing and remains the most logical opponent for Foster at 130 pounds. Foster has acknowledged Navarrete as his backup option if the Stevenson fight falls through, though Lopez believes that priority list should flip. The WBC champion improves to 25-3 with 12 knockouts after Saturday's win, while Navarrete sits at 40-2-1 with 33 stoppages.

Source: ringmagazine.com