WBO junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor has dared Teofimo Lopez to make good on his recent controversial threat.
During an interview, Lopez made it clear that he would attempt to make a statement by taking Taylor’s life when they collide on June 10 at the Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City.
Lopez rose to stardom in 2020, when he pulled off an upset decision win over Vasiliy Lomachenko to capture the unified junior welterweight crown.
However, Lopez himself was upset the following year when he lost a twelve round decision to George Kambosos.
After moving up to 140-pounds, Lopez has worked his way to another world title fight.
The once-beaten boxer is no stranger to making controversial comments and his statements about Taylor were certainly raising eyebrows.
“When I fought [Lomachenko], I took his heart, especially in that twelfth round … boom, I won the fight,” Lopez said to Punch Drunk Boxing. “With Taylor, he don’t got no heart. So what can I really take from this man? His life. His life. The only way I’mma make a statement is by doing that. I’m not sorry about that.
“I know people are going to twist my words again on this one. But you know something? I don’t give a flying f—. I don’t care because this is the sport that we are in. and it sucks to see so many pass away, especially some young ones.”
Taylor is not bothered by the statements.
In fact, he issued a warning of his own to Lopez.
“He can come try and take my life, let’s see who is the one who ends up in the back of an ambulance, that may be a horrible comment back but let him come and try, let’s see what happens, good on him. Let him take his best shot,” Taylor told BroBible.