“THEY WERE HELPING HIM — I HAVE THE EVIDENCE.”
Las Vegas, Nevada – February 2, 2026  The boxing world was still digesting the aftermath of Shakur Stevenson’s dominant unanimous-decision victory over Teófimo López at Madison Square Garden when Teófimo López turned a post-fight press conference into one of the most incendiary moments in modern boxing history.
Less than thirty minutes after the final scores were read (119-109, 119-109, 119-109), López — still wearing the gloves he had just used in a twelve-round war he clearly lost — walked to the podium, pulled out his phone, connected it to the room’s audio system, and played a 47-second audio clip without warning.
The grainy recording captured two male voices in what appeared to be a quiet corner of a dressing room or corridor. One voice, identified by López as Terence Crawford’s, said:  “Look, if he gets backed up again, just give him that little half-step room on the inside. Don’t call it too quick. He knows how to use it.”
A second voice, which López claimed belonged to one of the referees assigned to the fight, replied:  “Yeah, I got it. We’ll keep it clean but give him the space he needs. No problem.”
The clip ended abruptly. LĂłpez looked straight into the cameras and declared:
“They were helping him — I have the evidence. That’s Terence Crawford and one of the judges talking about giving Shakur extra room, extra leeway in the ring. This wasn’t a fair fight. This was orchestrated. I’m not letting this slide.”
The room erupted. Reporters shouted questions over each other. Phones were held high to capture every second. Within minutes the audio file was being shared across X, Reddit, TikTok, WhatsApp groups, and private boxing Telegram channels. The hashtags #TeofimoEvidence, #CrawfordRefTape, and #BoxingScandal trended worldwide before the press conference even concluded.
LĂłpez did not stop at playing the clip. He doubled down:
“I recorded this myself after I heard things in the hallway before the fight. I didn’t want to believe it until I heard it with my own ears. Crawford was in Shakur’s corner giving instructions — not as a cornerman, but as a friend pulling strings. And the ref was listening. That’s why every time I tried to get inside, I got just enough space to make it look legal but not enough to land clean. That’s why the scores were 119-109 across the board. They wanted Shakur to look untouchable.”
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who co-promoted the event, immediately called for calm from his seat in the front row: “This is very serious. If there is any truth to what Teófimo is saying, it must be investigated fully. But accusations of this magnitude require hard proof, not just a voice clip that could be manipulated.”
The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), which oversaw the bout, issued a statement within the hour:
“The NYSAC is aware of the audio recording circulating online. We are conducting an immediate internal review of all referee communications, pre-fight briefings, and judging assignments related to tonight’s main event. All three judges scored independently based on what they observed. Any formal complaint supported by verifiable evidence will be thoroughly examined. We will provide updates as the review progresses.”
Shakur Stevenson, still wearing the newly won WBO and Ring Magazine belts, responded in his own press conference shortly afterward. Standing beside his father/coach Wali Moses, he spoke calmly but with unmistakable steel:
“I beat Teófimo clean tonight. He knows it, the judges know it, the fans know it. If he has real evidence of corruption, let him take it to the commission, to law enforcement, wherever he wants. But leaking a blurry audio clip and throwing around names without proof? That’s not how champions behave. I’ve never needed help in the ring — and I never will.”
Terence Crawford, who was not officially part of either corner but had been seen ringside supporting Stevenson (the two share a close friendship and have trained together in the past), released a statement through his management:
“The audio being circulated is taken completely out of context, edited, or fabricated. I was not involved in any referee discussion about helping Shakur or influencing the fight. I was there as a fan and a friend. These baseless accusations are disappointing and damaging to the sport. I will cooperate with any legitimate investigation, but I will also pursue every legal avenue to protect my name and reputation.”
Boxing’s major stakeholders reacted swiftly:
– The WBO issued a short note: “We stand by the integrity of our officials and the result of tonight’s championship bout. Any credible evidence of misconduct will be reviewed by our championship committee.”- The Boxing Writers Association of America called for “full transparency and a swift, independent investigation.”- Prominent analysts on DAZN and ESPN expressed skepticism about the audio’s authenticity without forensic verification, while acknowledging that even the perception of impropriety is damaging.
Social media split violently. Supporters of López flooded timelines with demands for the NYSAC to release referee body-cam footage (if any existed) and full audio logs. Stevenson’s camp countered with side-by-side stats: Stevenson landed 165 punches to López’s 72, controlled ring generalship throughout, and never appeared to receive preferential treatment.
Forensic audio experts contacted by major outlets cautioned that short, low-quality clips are easy to edit or decontextualize. Voice-matching analysis would require access to known samples of Crawford’s and the referee’s speech patterns — something only law enforcement or a formal commission probe could obtain.
As of late Sunday evening, no formal complaint had been filed with the NYSAC, but López’s team confirmed they were preparing documentation to submit within 48 hours. Stevenson’s camp has already retained counsel specializing in defamation and sports law.
The fallout threatens to overshadow what was otherwise a showcase performance by Stevenson, who moved to 25-0 and became a four-division champion in convincing fashion. For LĂłpez, the defeat combined with the explosive accusation puts his immediate future at 140 pounds in question. A rematch clause exists, but the bridge between the two camps now appears burned.
What began as a tactical chess match inside the ropes has become a full-blown integrity crisis outside them. Whether López’s recording holds up under scrutiny or collapses as manipulated audio, the damage is already done: trust in the judging process has been shaken, friendships in the sport have been tested, and the narrative of the fight has shifted from skill to suspicion.
Boxing has survived scandals before — judging controversies, performance-enhancing drugs, fixed fights. But rarely has one fighter accused another of judicial bribery on live television with what he claims is recorded proof.
The next 72 hours will be critical. The NYSAC’s review, any forensic analysis of the audio, and the court of public opinion will decide whether this becomes boxing’s next great stain — or simply the bitter aftermath of a one-sided beating.
For now, the sport holds its breath.