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Like Him or Not… Teofimo Lopez Plans To Become A World Champion & “Takeover” the Lightweight Division

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By Rich “Lite It Up” Lopez

As fight fans gear up for this weekend’s big fight between Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman, we will be treated to an appetizer on Friday. Top Rank will be hosting a card at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland which will be streamed live on ESPN+. Taking center stage in the headliner is top lightweight contender Teofimo Lopez and he is on the fast track to becoming a world champion.

Teofimo Lopez from Brooklyn, New York is undefeated with a record of 13-0, with 11 KO’s. The Honduran American was an outstanding amateur and represented Honduras at the 2016 Olympic Games. Lopez would lose in the opening round by a controversial decision to Sofiane Oumiha of France. Soon after the games, his talents were noticed and he was immediately signed to a contract with Top Rank in the same year.

Lopez has kept a busy schedule and he went from a top rising prospect to now a top contender. Lopez who is still only 21 years old has speed, power, and footwork. Even though Lopez is close to a world title shot, I don’t think it’s too soon for him. Lopez has been very active and impressive thus far in his career. As Lopez has been stepping up the competition in each fight, he has delivered. Lopez produced one of the knockouts of the year in 2018 when he blasted out Mason Menard in one round with an overhand right. So far Lopez has had a good 2019. In his toughest test back in February, Lopez stopped Diego Magdaleno in seven rounds in brutal fashion. With only a two month break, Lopez came back and stopped Edis Tatli in five rounds in April.

Is Lopez cocky and arrogant?

Some fans might think so and that’s why there is some dislike for him. Lopez has done his share of showboating and he does his usual backflip after victories. Most notably Lopez taunted Magdaleno after he knocked him out, which got many dislikes from fans, including myself. I believe this was a result of some bad blood between the two fighters though. Overall, I just think Lopez has a lot of confidence in himself and he believes no one can beat him. Lopez has been talking a lot, but he has backed it up with knockout wins.

In less than three years of his career, Lopez will now be fighting in a world title eliminator for the IBF title on Friday. Lopez will be fighting undefeated Masayoshi Nakatani of Japan who has a record of 18-0, with 12 KO’s but is relatively unknown. The winner of this fight will challenge Richard Commey for the IBF title. If Lopez continues to win and impresses, we might see a showdown between him and Vasyl Lomachenko in the future. That would be explosive.

Teofimo Lopez is known as the “Takeover” and he is surely doing that in the lightweight division.

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