By Sean Jones: Teofimo Lopez is predicting that he’ll knock out Devin Haney inside six rounds when the 2 meet within the first quarter of 2022.
The 2 light-weight champions have interim fights that they should get out of the way in which first earlier than they meet within the first half of 2022.
Unbeaten IBF, WBA & WBO light-weight champion Teofimo (16-0, 12 KOs) says he’s bought an excessive amount of firepower for the light-hitting, defensively-focused WBC 135-lb champion Haney (26-0, 15 KOs) to hold with him.
Haney is defending his WBC strap towards interim champion Joseph ‘Jojo’ Diaz Jr. (32-1-1, 15 KOs) on December 4th in a toss-up combat on DAZN on the MGM Grand Backyard Area in Las Vegas.
For his half, Teofimo can be defending his IBF/WBA/WBO light-weight belts towards IBF necessary George Kambosos Jr. (19-0, 10 KOs) in a smooth match-up in November twenty seventh in a Matchroom Boxing promoted occasion on DAZN at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York.
Teofimo says Haney is simply too defensive-minded
“We will’t look previous George Kambosos proper now, however that’s one thing that’s positively going to occur. It’s already within the works,” mentioned Teofimo Lopez to SnowQueenLA on a combat between him and Devin Haney taking place in the event that they win their subsequent fights.
“If he’s [Haney] is happy about it, we’re too,” Teofimo mentioned. “That’s what it’s all about, preventing the fellows that assume they will beat us, and alright, we’re going to combat them.
“That proper there’s somebody that’s making an attempt to be as cautious as attainable,” mentioned Teofimo when requested about Haney being a terrific defensive fighter. “He’s slick when he must be, however there’s extra to it than that.
“You bought to come back again with extra than simply what I name, ‘Pop and miss.’ That’s protection if you wish to name it that, however you’ve bought to do greater than that at this elite degree.
“You bought to begin to attempt to end the fellows or no less than attempt to present extra combos in between all that,” mentioned Teofimo in criticizing Haney for being too targeted on protection and forgetting about his offense.
“In fact, you don’t wish to get hit, and it’s too cautious. You may’t win fights simply off protection,” Teofimo mentioned of Haney. “After I combat Devin Haney? He gained’t get previous six if he’s not doing all the opposite stuff he’s doing, which is working.
“I’ve sparred with Devin, so I understand how it’s. He was simply speaking the entire time, throwing jabs and shifting. This was like years in the past. After we sparred, it wasn’t even sparring. It wasn’t even sparring.
“When Shakur [Stevenson] and Devin sparred, that was work, however with him and me [Haney], it wasn’t work. It was simply protection, shifting round a lot, and I didn’t get something from it.
“I do know individuals wish to see that combat, I’m wanting ahead to it, however I’ll make all people see; he doesn’t wish to combat,” Teofimo mentioned of Haney.
With out punching energy, Haney must be defensive as a result of he doesn’t have sufficient pop in his punches to face and combat like odd fighters.
Haney getting booed
“For starters, Josh Taylor is the undisputed champion at 140, after which Devin Haney is what? I don’t even know. Paper champion, electronic mail champion? He didn’t even earn that [WBC lightweight title].
“He needed to combat some man [Zaur Abdullaev] that was ranked 59 or 57 for a belt that was nonetheless Lomachenko’s. Taylor has fought Jose Ramirez and different fighters earlier than.
“I feel Viktor Postol and stuff like that. These are guys which have been with Terence Crawford and plenty of different issues and champions.
“Devin Haney is a man that’s younger and has a shiny future if he makes use of it proper, however it isn’t equal to it. He hasn’t proven the work ethic but when he fights.
“You bought booed in your personal hometown in Vegas, and also you bought booed whenever you fought [Jorge] Linares. That’s not look. So, let’s see how he seems towards Jojo Diaz.
“If I’ve bought to take a pause from excellence to combat Devin Haney, then if I’ve bought to try this, I’ve bought to try this,” mentioned Teofimo. After this level, in any case that stuff he’s been speaking about, I don’t know what’s up with these guys. It’s all bark and no chew,” Teofimo mentioned.
It’s not altogether a terrific shock that Haney was booed out of Michelob Extremely Area in Las Vegas in his final combat on Might twenty ninth towards Jorge Linares.
Haney ran across the ring for the primary eight rounds, principally jabbing and boring the boxing followers at ringside. Within the ninth spherical, Linares shocked Haney with an ideal left hook counter that turned his legs to jelly.
From that time on, Haney spent the final three rounds clinching Linares and never letting him get any distance to throw pictures. When the referee would bodily pry Haney off Linares, he would get harm once more.
Haney ought to have been penalized for his extreme holding within the final 4 rounds and maybe even disqualified as a result of he was stalling out the combat.
Lopez hopes Haney combat occurs
“Extra followers than you? I’ve bought extra belts than you; I’m undisputed, although,” mentioned Teofimo in reacting to being advised that Haney mentioned he has extra followers on social media than him. “I’ve all the pieces I would like and extra.
“So I’m searching for if that [Haney] ever comes about, we’ll make the combat occur. It’ll be a terrific combat,” mentioned Teofimo on the December 4th combat between Haney and Joseph Diaz Jr.
“Everyone tends to look previous the fellows that they’re preventing due to their identify. I feel Jojo Diaz is a fighter that is aware of what he desires, and he’s capturing to beat this man [Haney].
“He [Jojo] was on the point of beat Ryan Garcia, however then that didn’t occur with Ryan Garcia breaking his hand. Now it’s Devin Haney.
“He can get it too,” mentioned Teofimo when requested about Gervonta Davis.
“Everyone can get it,” mentioned Teofimo Lopez Sr. “All they bought to do is signal the petition. [WBC president] Mauricio Sulaiman already mentioned it, however I don’t see them signing s***. It’s lower than us no extra,” Teofimo mentioned.
Haney has a tricky combat on his palms towards Joseph ‘Jojo’ Diaz Jr. on December 4th in Las Vegas, and there’s a good chance he loses. Jojo (32-1-1, 15 KOs) is way more seasoned than Haney, and he’s as robust as they get.
There’s no query that Teofimo will do his half to make the combat with Haney occur by destroying the hapless George Kambosos Jr. on November twenty seventh, however Haney has bought a tricky one in Jojo that he must get previous.
I don’t assume he’ll, particularly after the way in which he seemed towards Jorge Linares final Might.
Lopez criticizes Ryan Garcia
“Ryan Garcia bought harm, however what did Canelo say about Ryan Garcia? He’s not taking it significantly like he ought to, like he is aware of he can. There’s a whole lot of potentials there, however he’s not taking it,” Teofimo mentioned of Ryan.
“You’re not going ahead with it. If Canelo is telling you that, which is a large asset in your profession proper now as a result of take a look at what Canelo has achieved and the way he’s rising, make the most of that, use that.
“How do you grow to be that fifty million greenback man? How do you grow to be the ten million greenback man or something like that? You bought to do the issues that he’s doing by preventing one of the best and bettering and exhibiting all people that he’s the primary pound-for-pound on the listing.
“For me, I’m sort of in shock with Canelo letting Ryan Garcia know, ‘Come on, decide it up.’ Canelo is 29, 30. I’m 24 now, however he needed to undergo all these eras and trials and tribulations as effectively to get to the place he’s at. So if he did it across the identical time, why can’t I?” mentioned Teofimo.
It’s evident at this level that light-weight contender Ryan Garcia isn’t going to reside as much as his potential, as he’s not pulling out of fights, not staying lively, and already having harm issues.
Ryan has made an excessive amount of cash with out doing something in his profession, and he doesn’t have the starvation that fighters much less rich than him have.
Teo choosing Shakur to beat Oscar Valdez
“I give Shakur [Stevenson] some sort of likelihood in that combat, for positive,” mentioned Teofimo when requested who would win in a match between Oscar Valdez and Shakur.
“When Shakur fought Jamel [Herring], Shakur had fought Jamel many occasions. So Shakur already had that confidence built-in, and he did all that and extra.
“Valdez didn’t look too spectacular in his final combat [Robson Conceicao], after which he was getting caught with the take a look at that they have been speaking about. I don’t wish to make any accusations on that.
“Shakur is that sort of individual that he’ll get that job achieved,” mentioned Teofimo on his view that Stevenson will beat Valdez.
It’s too early to say for positive that WBO tremendous featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson and WBC champion Oscar Valdez combat.
High Rank promoter Bob Arum desires each of them to take interim fights, and he’s additionally occupied with having Shakur combat Vasily Lomachenko. If Stevenson faces Miguel Berchelt and Lomachenko in back-to-back contests, there’s likelihood he loses.
In Valdez’s case, he’s anticipated to face Emanuel Navarrete subsequent, and that’s a combat he might get beat as effectively.
After watching Valdez beat Robson Conceicao by a extremely controversial 12 spherical unanimous determination in his final combat on September tenth in Tucson, Arizona, there’s a good chance he will get overwhelmed by Navarrete.
