Teofimo Lopez confirmed that he nonetheless needs Terence Crawford subsequent following his win over Steve Claggett final Saturday night time.
Followers imagine Teofimo is simply determined for the payday he would get preventing Crawford and is aware of he gained’t win that struggle.
Determined Marketing campaign for a Crawford Battle
The falloff from Teofimo’s sport is fairly dramatic as a result of he’s not the identical fighter he was 4 to 6 years in the past. One thing has modified with him, and it’s onerous to determine as a result of he’s nonetheless younger at 26.
The way in which Teofimo appeared in opposition to Claggett and up to date fights in opposition to Jamaine Ortiz and Sandor Martin means that he’s going downhill. Therefore, the tireless campaigning for the Crawford struggle.
Lopez efficiently defended his WBO mild welterweight title with a twelve-round unanimous choice over Claggett (38-8-2, 26 KOs) on the James L. Knight Heart in Miami, Florida.
He gained by the scores 120-108, 120-108 and 119-110. However Teo’s eyes had been swollen on the finish of the struggle from Claggett’s many punches. Early on, Claggett was robust and energetic. After the sixth, he pale, and his work charge and energy dropped off.
It was one other struggle by which Teofimo was pressured to go the total twelve-round distance, exhibiting that his energy isn’t the identical within the 140-lb weight class because it was at 135.
Triple Crown Purpose and Retirement Talks
The High Rank-promoted Teofimo says he would possibly retire if he defeats Crawford’s struggle. Nonetheless, the probabilities of going through Terence are slim, and it looks like a joke with followers for Teo to proceed to name him out.
Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) says he needs to win a triple crown to develop into a three-division world champion, and he feels that Crawford is on his goal checklist. If Teofimo, 26, can’t get Crawford, he needs Brian Norman Jr. for that function.
“I’m a man that likes to take dangers. So, 147, three-division world champion at 27, appears like a great ring for me,” stated Teofimo Lopez to the Title Sports activities Community when requested if he’d like to maneuver as much as welterweight subsequent after his win over Steve Claggett final Saturday night time in Miami.
It’s onerous to take Teofimo severely when he says he’s a man that takes dangers, becaue if that had been the case, he wouldn’t have fought Claggett. He’s a fringe contender with eight losses on his report.
Teofimo hasn’t taken any massive dangers since his struggle with Vasily Lomachenko in 2020. Lopez’s struggle with George Kambosos Jr. was considered a simple one getting in, however the Australian outhustled him in his loss in 2021. All of the fights since then for Teofimo have been non-risky.
The Path to Crawford: Brian Norman Jr. and Welterweight Transfer
If Teofimo is severe about taking dangers, he ought to face Brian Norman for the WBO welterweight title after which use the victory to create public strain for a match in opposition to Crawford,
“I sit up for extra legacy. Whether or not Brian Norman is the subsequent man or whether or not it’s Crawford,” stated Teofimo. “Folks assume I’m biting greater than I can chew. I don’t care. It’s the perfect preventing the perfect. The hardest preventing the hardest, and whoever prevails on the finish. That’s Teofimo the Takeover.”
It appears apparent to followers that Teofimo’s rationale for wanting a struggle in opposition to Crawford is for cash solely. Teofimo isn’t preventing at 147 or 154 to place himself ready to get the Crawford struggle, and he’s not preventing the correct opposition at 140 to extend his fame.
“Yeah, I do. I need Terence Crawford. I don’t care what folks assume. In the event you assume I’m a chump and simple man, deliver it on. End me already. I need Terence Crawford. He’s the one final man to get the triple crown for me. For me, he’s the final man, and perhaps I may dangle it up after that,” stated Teofimo.
Crawford isn’t going to struggle Teofimo as a result of he’s focusing on a struggle in opposition to Canelo Alvarez, however he must win his August third struggle first in opposition to WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov. It’s unclear if that struggle was Crawford’s thought or His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s.
Provided that it’s Turki’s card on August third, it appears affordable to imagine that he got here up with the concept for Crawford to struggle Madrimov.
