Any number of champions and contenders will have tried to catch Stevenson’s eye as he soaked in the moment but the 28-year-old decided to call Conor Benn up into the ring.

Benn’s open conflict with Chris Eubank Jr. has turned him into a major attraction in Britain.

Benn (24-1, 14 KOs) has been competing at middleweight and hasn’t made the welterweight limit since 2022 whilst Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) still holds the WBC lightweight title. The four-weight world champion from Newark, New Jersey, however, has clearly recognized the financial and promotional benefits of opening up a potential rivalry with the 29-year-old.

“Anything's possible,” Frank Smith told TalkSPORT Boxing.

“There's so many fights we've said over the years, 'We're not going to see that one happen.' Originally, Eubank Jr. and Benn. Who would have said all those years ago years ago that Conor Benn would fight Chris Eubank Jr.? It happened twice.

“I don't think it's the favorite fight right now. I think Conor wants to win a 147-pound world title. He's got a Rolly Romero opportunity that we're working on. He's got the Ryan Garcia against Mario Barios winner — he’s mandatory for the WBC world title — and he’s always wanted to win that WBC belt.

“Look at the position Conor Benn is in though. He's got Shakur Stevenson, a four-weight champion of the world, calling him out. That’s what Conor does.”

Stevenson’s win over Lopez was the third of the multi-fight deal he signed with Matchroom Boxing in August 2024. After beating late substitute Josh Padley in Saudi Arabia, he impressively outpointed aggressive William Zepeda on the “Ring III” card which took place in New York in July.

Beating Lopez in such fashion has secured Stevenson as one of the faces of boxing and from hereon-in, every one of his fights will become an event. Fortunately, he isn’t short of potential opponents.

The lightweight and junior welterweight divisions are full of attractive match-ups and, during an appearance on talkSPORT, Matchroom CEO Frank Smith didn’t immediately dismiss the idea of Stevenson stepping up to welterweight and challenging Devin Haney, WBO champion and The Ring's No. 1.

“I think that was towards the end, but we're working on and looking at what the opportunities next are in terms of fights,” Smith said when asked how long Stevenson has left on his contract.

“Devin Haney has done amazing things as well in the sport. We’ve worked with him since he was 18, 19 years old. That's a great fight. There's so many fights in that mix now in that grouping that can be made and that’s definitely one but Shakur called Conor into the ring. That's a fight Shakur is interested in.”