By: Sean Crose
A few months after his lone loss, possible opponents are being talked about for Teofimo Lopez Jr.’s return to the ring.
“We’re open to anyone at 140 pounds; He won’t have to struggle with that weight, he’ll be perfect, he won’t have lung disease anymore,” Teofimo Lopez Sr recently told ESPN. “I think it will be a great fight; I think Top Rank is looking for that fight with Barboza. Of course, Lopez’s son, Teofimo, is a highly regarded former lightweight athlete who, after winning his belts from the future Vasyl Lomachenko, lost them in his previous defense. George Kambosos. Now, looking ahead, it looks like Lopez Sr, who coaches and manages his son, is looking for a tough fighter to move up to the junior weight division.
“We will fight anyone, no matter who it is,” continued Elder Lopez, “and then eventually fight Josh Taylor and get our belts back.” After defeating Lomachenko in 2020, Lopez seems to have been on top of the world, a strong, fearless, brave fighter, on his way to greater things. Then there’s Kambosos, an unannounced obligatory Australian who seems to be seen by some as nothing more than a stop on the Lopez Express. Needless to say, there were a large number of surprises to be found after the Kambosos beat Lopez on his way to a decisive victory last year.
As for the 26-0 undefeated Barboza, he found Lopez offended by expressing his desire to immediately gain the status of a more middleweight contender when he had never fought in that division. “When he started saying he was going to 140 and took over and jumped right into the headlines, it was a slap in the face to everyone at 140,” Barboza was quoted as saying by ESPN. “You’re 135, it’s different.” Barboza also commented on the hype surrounding Team Lopez. “He and his dad, they have to be careful,” he said. “We’ll see if they’re right what they say.”
At just 24 years old, Lopez is said to still have a career ahead of her. Kambosos’ loss seems to have had an adverse effect on his psyche – at least that was the case immediately after the battle. Now, he will have a chance to prove himself once again – and get back on his winning path. If his opponent is 30-year-old Barboza, hell will be up against a boxer who knows what it means to munch on an opponent without the push of a serious public. Such struggles tend to be hungry.
