Brawl erupts at Teofimo Lopez-Shakur Stevenson weigh-in at MSG

Chaotic scene unfolds as multiple fighters and teams get into altercation ahead of highly anticipated boxing match

Jan. 30, 2026 at 9:31pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A wild brawl broke out during the weigh-in for the upcoming Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson boxing match at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The altercation involved several fighters, including up-and-coming welterweight contender Delante 'Tiger' Johnson, as well as members of Devin Haney's team, who were on the scene. The MSG venue condemned the violence and said any individuals involved would be banned for life from all events at their facilities.

Why it matters

The Lopez-Stevenson fight is one of the biggest boxing events of the year, and the pre-fight brawl has added an extra layer of drama and tension ahead of the highly anticipated matchup between the two top-ranked lightweights. The incident also raises concerns about security and crowd control at major sporting events in New York City.

The details

According to reports, the brawl broke out several times during the weigh-in at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Devin Haney's father, Bill Haney, was on the scene and tried to break up the altercation at one point. Delante 'Tiger' Johnson, an up-and-coming welterweight contender, was also reportedly involved in the melee. The MSG venue released a statement saying it would not tolerate any violence at its events and that anyone found participating in such activity would be banned for life.

  • The weigh-in took place on Friday, January 30, 2026, ahead of the Lopez-Stevenson fight on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

The players

Teofimo Lopez

A 22-1 professional boxer with 13 KOs, defending his WBO super lightweight and Ring magazine titles against Shakur Stevenson.

Shakur Stevenson

A 24-0 professional boxer with 11 wins by stoppage, the current WBC lightweight champion moving up to 140 pounds to challenge Lopez.

Delante 'Tiger' Johnson

An up-and-coming 17-0 welterweight contender with 8 KOs, who has been featured on ESPN multiple times during Top Rank Boxing's deal.

Bill Haney

The father of WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney, who was on the scene and tried to break up the brawl.

MSG Family of Companies

The organization that owns and operates Madison Square Garden, which condemned the violence and said anyone involved would be banned for life.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The NYPD has not indicated if it will investigate the brawl or take any further action. The focus will now shift to the highly anticipated boxing match between Teofimo Lopez and Shakur Stevenson on Saturday night.

The takeaway

The pre-fight brawl at the Lopez-Stevenson weigh-in highlights the need for increased security and crowd control measures at major sporting events in New York City. It also underscores the intense rivalry and emotions surrounding this high-stakes boxing match between two of the sport's top young stars.