MIAMI, FL — The little engine within his head has slowed down. Apart from, Teofimo Lopez Jr. had given up attempting to catch his nervousness just a few years in the past. He’s extra reflective. He’s extra relaxed. He has realized to tame the darkish apprehension that will fold in on the outer reaches and crease its method in with every battle.
That might not have been on extra show than this week, in preparation for his WBO/Ring Journal junior welterweight world championship title protection in opposition to Canadian Steve Claggett Saturday night time on the James L. Knight Middle in Miami, Florida.
It has taken time, however Lopez Jr. likes his reflection. His straightforward demeanor translated into the ring.
One in every of boxing’s most flamboyant showman placed on a present, ranging from his ring stroll, dancing to Michael Jackson’s Beat It, wearing a white tux jacket trimmed in gold.
Lopez (21-1, 13 knockouts) completed with a unanimous choice, profitable by a 120-108 shutout on the scorecards of judges Lisa Giampa and Efrain Lebron, and 119-109 by decide Steve Weisfeld.
“I’m completely considering of transferring up. My legs, my physique has to maneuver up, transferring to 147. I need Terence Crawford. That’s the objective. I don’t know, I don’t care who has the 147-pound belts. All I need is the man with The Ring belt and that’s Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford.”
Lopez landed a career-high 315 punches, connecting on a career-best 26 punches per spherical, and threw a career-high 946 complete, averaging a career-best 79 punches per spherical.
“I’m actually relaxed, I do like the place I’m, I’m getting older, my son is getting older and I’ve to indicate what it means to be a stand-up man,” Lopez mentioned. “It might have been as straightforward because it appeared. Claggett is a troublesome man. I’ve a lot respect for him. However in the long run, they have been telling him that he had the battle, and that I used to be getting drained.
“In actuality, I used to be there. We had a sport plan and we stayed with it. The man was powerful. I used to be aiming for a troublesome fighter. I knew this man was going to check my limits. He touched me for the sake of touching me. I had no concern of him. If there may be something it’s a must to embody, Muhammad Ali’s quote, the desire needs to be stronger than the talents.
“I’m completely considering of transferring up. My legs, my physique has to maneuver up, transferring to 147. I need Terence Crawford. That’s the objective. I don’t know, I don’t care who has the 147-pound belts, All I need is the man with The Ring belt and that’s Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford.”
From the outset, Claggett (38-8-2, 26 KOs) put strain on Lopez. He stored coming ahead, flicking out a jab. He might not have had a lot on them, however the punches have been fixed. Lopez absorbed as a lot as he may along with his shoulders and his arms. Awkward and hanger skinny, Claggett nonetheless burrowed ahead.
Whether or not he would be capable to maintain that sort of tempo all through 12 rounds could be a query.
Within the second, Claggett tried the identical ways, making an attempt to smother Lopez. He appeared to hitting Lopez with 1,000,000 pebbles—not one rock. Lopez would backpedal, luring Claggett ahead. Lopez did the brunt of pictures within the second, although Claggett’s output appeared to drop barely.
Within the third, Lopez banged Claggett with a left hook early within the spherical, and some moments later, popped Claggett with a straight proper. Lopez’ punches arrived with a thud that might be heard ringside.
Lopez appeared to get up within the third, which was his greatest spherical at that time.
Lopez punishes the brave Steve Claggett with a proper (Picture by Mikey Williams/Prime Rank)
Lopez banged Claggett, who was wanting down, with a left after which proper uppercut, popping the Canadian’s head again.
By the fifth, Claggett’s output diminished significantly from the primary 4 rounds. He nonetheless stalked Lopez, however was not punching his method in. Claggett appeared content material on typically simply touching Lopez, with little behind his punches.
Utilizing his left shoulder as a battering ram, Lopez ran proper into Claggett to start the seventh. By then, Claggett was throwing one punch at a time, and Lopez was nailing at him with ease. He starting to tee off on Claggett, and the powerful Canadian may do little to maintain him away.
Claggett was brave. He stored coming ahead, pawing extra at Lopez than prepared to take a seat down on his punches and commit. Lopez plowed Claggett with two rights to the jaw, after which a proper uppercut. Lopez was making Claggett pay each time he got here shut, particularly with a gentle eating regimen of uppercuts.
Within the ninth, Lopez continued his assault. He labored ranges properly, whipping Claggett’s sides with looping rights, and imposing his will behind his left shoulder.
Claggett stored coming ahead strictly on braveness.
However he was clearly taking a pounding.
Within the tenth, it extra of the identical. Lopez slamming Claggett with uppercuts, and Claggett taking them. Lopez ended the spherical with a blistering flurry that Claggett couldn’t reply.
Within the ultimate spherical, Claggett tried, coming ahead, although this time he was greeted by a barrage of Lopez pictures. Then he was pelted with physique pictures, then a left shoulder, then a proper uppercut.
Lopez closed the present with a torrent of pictures. As the ultimate bell rang, the 2 fighters hugged.
“I noticed combos from my son that I by no means noticed earlier than,” mentioned Teofimo Lopez Sr., Lopez Jr.’s father and coach. “We knew we needed to go to the physique, and he stored coming. Claggett did an incredible job. He stored throwing punches, however that price dropped, as a result of he by no means handled anybody like my son.
“We’re considering of creating the transfer to 147. We’re nonetheless sturdy at 140, we made the burden and not using a downside, and he was sturdy late within the battle. However we wish Terence Crawford. Going through Crawford will likely be a troublesome battle for him, and I’ll admit it is going to be a troublesome battle for us. I noticed combos tonight I by no means noticed my throw. Crawford is a harmful battle for him, and for us.
“My son will likely be even stronger at 147. However we will keep at 140. If the fights are good, we will keep at 140. If we transfer to 147, we need to battle for titles, and people guys at 147 will need to battle us. We bought nothing from tonight. We have been anticipated to win, and we received.”
Joseph Santoliquito is a Corridor of Fame, award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Journal/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.
Comply with @JSantoliquito
