Bright Lights Return to MSG as Carrington, Adames Headline Ring VI Undercard
Boxing returns to Madison Square Garden on Jan 31 as Shakur Stevenson faces Teofimo Lopez. This epic card features three world title fights, including Adames vs. Williams, as the sport's best continue to settle their differences in the ring. Don't miss the 2026 season's first major PPV.
The best don't fight the best.
It's a critique you'll likely hear from the average American sports fan when presented with the following question: Why don't you watch boxing?
However, in recent years, that response has become increasingly less relevant. From Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury's battles for heavyweight supremacy to Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev's clashes for the light heavyweight crown, the 2020s have been a decade in which many of the sport's best have settled their differences in the ring. Heading into 2026, the trend will continue as Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani seem poised for a May showdown in the Tokyo Dome, while David Benavidez and Giberto Ramirez continue to inch toward a cruiserweight clash for the ages in Las Vegas, but the first major PPV extravaganza is set for New York City.
On Saturday, January 31, 2025, WBC Lightweight Champion Shakur Stevenson will step up and attempt to dethrone lineal super lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez in an epic clash at Madison Square Garden. With just over a month left until fight night, The Ring and the event's lead promoter, Matchroom Boxing, have unveiled the names set to step into the ring before the main event.
- WBC Middleweight Championship: Carlos Adames (c) v. Austin "Ammo" Williams
- Super Lightweight: Keyshawn Davis v. Jamaine Ortiz
- WBC Super Featherweight Championship: Bruce Carrington (interim — c) v. Carlos Castro
- Heavyweight: Jarrell Miller v. Kingsley Ibeh
- Super Lightweight: Ziyad Almaayouf v. Kevin Castillo
With three world title fights, a slew of hometown fighters, and the return of Davis, Ring VI serves as the next step in bringing men's boxing back to Madison Square Garden. In years past, the storied venue has hosted Ali v. Frazier, Hopkins v. Trinidad, Joshua v. Ruiz, but it has not been the sight of a championship men's bout thus far this decade. In January, two area natives (Stevenson — Newark, NJ | Lopez — New York, NY) will attempt to bring the bright lights back to a city eager for big fights.
“Duck, Duck, Goose! Are you ready for New York City? Brick city in the concrete jungle, so let’s get ready to rumble! The Takeover is here to stay, not play. Make Boxing Great Again is my forte. Shakur will fall in nine," Lopez said.
“I have never shied away from a challenge and always chased the biggest fights in the sport because I know I am one of the best boxers in the world. Teofimo Lopez will learn that firsthand on January 31 when I take his belt and show him that there are levels to this game," Stevenson responds. "New York, get ready for a spectacular performance as I take over a fourth straight weight division.”
