Teofimo Lopez is a bit more brazen than most. When he first popped onto the scene, he loudly shouted about his greatness. He also claimed that Vasiliy Lomachenko would be dismantled and beaten if they ever stood across the ring from one another. Once he was given his chance, he proved that he wasn’t simply bloviating, as he went on to beat Lomachenko in 2020.
Fast forward a few years later, and Lopez repeated the same routine. He moved up to the super lightweight division after coming up short against George Kambosos Jr. and began sizing up Josh Taylor. He was a former undisputed champion, unbeaten, and was viewed as the clear top dog at 140 pounds. Lopez was warned, much like his Lomachenko call-outs but he kept at it.
It was deja vu once they officially got it on as Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) took out another pound-for-pound level guy. Well, if it worked twice, Lopez figures that it can work again.
Terence Crawford, after dominating Errol Spence Jr., is viewed as the consensus best fighter in the world. Is Crawford an all-time great on his way to the Hall of Fame? Without question. But still, Lopez doesn’t believe he should be rated above him.
Talk, however, is always cheap. Instead of debating why he’s the best fighter around, Lopez would rather prove it in the ring.
“Do I want Crawford? Absolutely,” said Lopez in a self-recorded video. “I aim for greatness. What is that? Fighting the best. Crawford says he’s the best, I know I’m the best, let’s make the fight happen.”
Living in a conjectural world where he’s fighting Crawford, has to be pushed to the side for a moment. In just under a month, Lopez will be putting his WBO super lightweight title on the line when he takes on Jamaine Ortiz
Looking past Ortiz and focusing on Crawford wouldn’t be the smartest idea, Lopez knows it. So for now, Ortiz will have his undivided attention.
“First things first though, we got to knock this guy out the way. He’s in front of me, Jamaine Ortiz.”