Teofimo Lopez has thrown his identify within the hat to be Terence Crawford’s subsequent opponent if he’s victorious in his debut at 154 on August third in opposition to WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov.
Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) says he’ll haven’t any issues transferring up from 140 to 154 to beat Crawford, and he’s anxious to get the chance to combat him if he will get previous Madrimov.
Given Teofimo’s horrible performances in his final two fights in opposition to Steve Claggett and Jamaine Ortiz, he’s by no means on this lifetime will get a shot at combating Crawford. He must cease speaking about Crawford as a result of it makes him sound dimwitted.
Teofimo doesn’t view Crawford’s attain benefit as an issue. He factors out that Manny Pacquiao and Robert Duran succeeded in opposition to longer-armed fighters after they moved up in weight.
Crawford’s Focus: Canelo Alvarez, Not Teofimo Lopez
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh picks Crawford’s fights and doesn’t point out Teofimo’s identify. Turki needs Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Canelo Alvarez for Crawford. If Turki isn’t considering Teofimo combating Crawford, it’s not occurring, and proper now, that’s the case.
What Teofimo ought to do if he needs to get in line for a combat in opposition to Crawford can be to maneuver as much as 154 instantly and combat a few of these fighters:
Vergil Ortiz Jr
Xander Zayas
Serhii Bohachuk
Tim Tszyu
Erickson Lubin
Questionable Matchmaking
Teofimo’s latest performances in opposition to Claggett, Jamaine Ortiz, and Sandor Martin at 140 confirmed that he’s on the draw back of his profession. He wants to remain in his lane, combating the low-level opposition Prime Rank is matching him with, or transfer again all the way down to 135. At light-weight, Teofimo’s energy was extra vital, and he was a greater fighter.
“Yeah, I’m. I’m a nutcase. I’ll go proper to it. What number of occasions have individuals performed it, and perhaps they haven’t succeeded? That’s the fantastic thing about it,” stated Teofimo Lopez to the media when requested if he might go as much as 154 to face former two-time undisputed champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford in that weight class.
“Why can’t I do it? The great thing about it’s I’ll succeed from it. That makes it a lot sweeter after I win,” continued the desperate-sounding Teofimo, who badly needs a combat in opposition to Terence Crawford, it doesn’t matter what weight.
To persuade followers that this isn’t a hustle, Teofimo wants to maneuver as much as 154 and beat a top-level contender like Vergil Ortiz Jr or Xander Zayas. He can be an enormous underdog in opposition to both of these fighters, however that’s his solely hope of getting a combat in opposition to Crawford.
“The query is, how do you not beat a man like Terence Crawford? That’s for me to know and y’all to search out out after we combat,” stated Teofimo, making it clear that he’s attempting to speak his method right into a payday in opposition to Crawford.
Creating Pretend Hype
It gained’t work for Teofimo to speak loopy about Crawford, trying to create faux hype to persuade gullible followers. Nobody believes in Teofimo anymore after a string of poor performances that stretch all the best way to 2021. He has solely seemed good in certainly one of his final six fights, and that was in opposition to a washed Josh Taylor.
“To me, it’s as much as Canelo. It’s not about Crawford. It ain’t about Turki, with all on account of respect for His Excellency. It’s what Canelo needs,” stated Teofimo when advised that Crawford solely needs the Canelo Alvarez combat at 168 and isn’t displaying curiosity in combating anybody else however him.
Teofimo is sounding very determined now for the Crawford combat, and that’s so off-putting. It wouldn’t need to be this manner if Teofimo’s profession wasn’t in such sorry form, however he can now not be trusted to beat prime five-level competitors.
Prime Rank can’t put Teofimo in with the highest 140, 147 or 154-lb fighters with out worrying about him getting crushed as soon as once more and his worth to them additional diminishing. As such, Topr Rank is defending Teofimo, matching him in opposition to Jamaine, Claggett, Martin, washed up Josh Taylor and Pedro Campa. It’s so apparent what they’re doing, and the tragic factor is, Teofimo is struggling in opposition to these fighters.
“So if Canelo feels he’s not considering that combat and needs to take a unique route, then there you could have it,” stated Lopez about his hopes that Canelo will go on a combat with Crawford.
Even when Canelo does go on a combat in opposition to Crawford, that gained’t assist Teofimo. Crawford would then face Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis in an enormous cash combat after which retire if he loses. The opposite guys that Crawford would combat can be Sebastian Fundora, Errol Spence Jr., and Tim Tszyu. Teofimo isn’t on Crawford’s radar, and he gained’t be.
“Yeah, nicely, it’s,” stated Teofimo when requested if he feels a combat between him and Crawford is a much bigger combat than Crawford-Boots Ennis. “You bought two guys [Teofimo and Crawford] which might be undisputed in two weight divisions. So, it’s just like the rebirth of Duran and Leonard or like Hagler and Leonard.”
Lopez’s Declining Reputation
Teofimo’s recognition has dropped dramatically since his career-best win in opposition to Vasily Lomachenko on October 17, 2020. Within the six fights that Teofimo has had because the Lomachenko match, 4 of them have been lackluster performances in opposition to these fighters:
– Steve Claggett: Took huge punishment from journeyman in showcase combat
– Jamaine Ortiz: Questionable win. Teofimo appeared to lose 10-2 however give win.
– Sandor Martin: Controversial 12-round break up determination win
– George Kambosos Jr: Loss
“Proper now, we’re in talks for lots of issues. They don’t know. They’re simply focusing, Prime Rank. They’re specializing in the seasonal side of issues,” stated Teofimo when requested if he’s transferring up from 140 to 147 to problem Brian Norman Jr. for the WBO welterweight title.
The way in which Teofimo dodged the query when requested if he can be going through Brian Norman Jr. subsequent at 147 signifies that he’s not considering combating this man subsequent.
That signifies that Prime Rank will proceed to match Teofimo fastidiously, figuring out that in the event that they throw him in with killers, he’ll flounder as soon as once more. Combating Norman would simply be the beginning of what Teofimo would want to do for him to get in Crawford’s orbit.
Teofimo would nonetheless want to maneuver as much as 154 and knock off among the prime guys in that division to get observed by Crawford and His Excellency.
