Teofimo Lopez v George Kambosos Jr. 27/11/2021

[Master]

Teofimo Lopez defends his WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight titles against George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday night.

After numerous bumps in the road, Teofimo Lopez is finally set to make the first defence of his WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight titles against mandatory challenger George Kambosos Jr.

Lopez propelled himself into the top 10 of the world's best pound for pound fighters following his win against Vasily Lomachenko in October 2020, and is now looking to make statement on Saturday night before attempting to unify all the titles at 135lbs.

Kambosos Jr. earned his shot at the unified champion a few weeks after Lopez's career defining victory by beating former world featherweight champion Lee Selby via a split decision.

The fight takes place at Madison Square Garden's Hulu Theatre in New York.

Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos Jr.; For Lopez's IBF, WBO and WBA lightweight titles
Azinga Fuzile vs. Kenichi Ogawa; For the vacant IBF world super featherweight title
Raymond Ford vs. Felix Caraballo; Featherweight
Andreas Katzourakis vs. Wendy Toussaint; Middleweight
Reshat Mati vs. Dimitri Trenel; Super lightweight
Zhilei Zhang vs. Bernardo Marquez; Heavyweight
Ramala Ali vs. Isela Vera; Super bantamweight
Christina Cruz vs. Marygreen Vellinga Hinz; Flyweight

https://www.dazn.com/en-GLOBAL/news/...w10w705v0n1qzg

[Master]

Teofimo Lopez is aiming for big fights next year as he looks to put a frustrating year behind him against George Kambosos this weekend.

Teofimo Lopez admits he’s a fighter desperate to make up for lost time.

In October 2020, Lopez caused a seismic shock when he dethroned Vasiliy Lomachenko to become the world’s premier lightweight. 13 months on, the Brooklyn fighter is yet to fight.

This Saturday, live on DAZN, Lopez will take to the ring over a year’s frustration as he faces his IBF mandatory challenger, George Kambosos Jr. The oft postponed battle has been one of 2021’s most frustrating sagas due to background politics and Lopez suffering from COVID, but the charming 24-year-old can is finally ready to push on and capitalise on his Lomachenko success.

“I didn’t want to beat the best fighter in the world and just sit on that,” said Lopez when speaking to DAZN. “My belts are catching dust over here. I’m looking forward to fighting three times next year. Now, I just want to get this [Kambosos fight] over with and put on a show for DAZN and Matchroom.”

Demonstrating huge optimism ahead of his second world title defence, Lopez is already looking forward to securing dates with some of boxing’s biggest names in 2022. After already eliminating one of the sport’s grandest fighters in the masterful Ukranian, Lopez is ready to switch his sights to more threats if he gets past Kambosos.

Surrounded by elite names in the talent laden 135lbs division, Lopez doesn’t have to look far to find a suitable dance partner for a marquee fight. Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia, and Devin Haney are all within the lightweight vicinity but it’s the division ruler at super-lightweight that is tempting Lopez most.

“Definitely Josh Taylor,” replied Lopez when asked who his ideal opponent for next year would be. “I’ve been telling people that for some time. We can definitely make that fight happen in the U.K. There’s also Gervonta Davis, that could be a great fight at 140lbs. People are also talking about Devin Haney so we can what happens there.”

https://www.dazn.com/en-GLOBAL/news/...y1ahxffa2l6kei

[TIC]

not betting the house on it but george could pull this off

[Master]

not betting the house on it but george could pull this off

He sounds very relaxed and humble but believes he can pull this off.

[Master]

Teofimo Lopez to snub Devin Haney undisputed fight to target Josh Taylor

Teofimo Lopez will target a showdown with undisputed 140lbs champion Josh Taylor over a planned lightweight tilt with Devin Haney.

Lopez will defend his lightweight titles against George Kambosos Jr this weekend, returning to the ring for the first time since dethroning Vasyl Lomachenko last year.

He was then expected to target long-time rival Haney providing he comes through his title defence against JoJo Diaz next month.

But his father Teofimo Lopez Sr expects him to make a switch up to 140lbs and expects Bob Arum to promote a colossal showdown with Taylor instead.

"We want Josh Taylor next," Lopez Sr said at a press event. "You heard that Josh, we want you next buddy and we want you bad.

"[Josh should] stop it with the bulls*** that we still got on settle business at 135 [pounds with Kambosos]. 135 is done!

"We are moving up to 140. We don't need a tune-up fight, we're coming straight for you buddy, so take the freaking fight.

"It's going to be big and we could do it where ever you want. Bob Arum's gonna make it happen in spring, so you better be ready."

Lopez has been called out by multiple opponents at lightweight including Gervonta Davis and Haney who both hold untarnished records.

And the 24-year-old confronted Haney at the event headlined by Mikey Garcia's shock defeat by Sandor Martin with the pair feuding in front of the cameras.

The pair initially agreed to face each other after their upcoming challenges against Kambosos and Diaz.

Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn also previously stated that he is planning to stage an undisputed clash after shaking hands to agree the fight with Lopez.

"I said to him tonight, ‘Teofimo Lopez will fight you.’ He said he won’t. I said, ‘I reckon he will.’ He said, ‘I’m telling you he won’t'," Hearn told DAZN News after the incident.

"And when he turned up tonight, someone shouted something and he went over and they got head-to-head. He said, ‘Look, I’m going to f*** you up.’ I said (to Haney and Lopez), ‘Guys, you are fighting on DAZN, which is great.

"Teo, you are fighting George Kambosos and Devin, you are hopefully fighting JoJo Diaz. It’s the week after each other. Let’s make the fight.' And then everybody started up and arguing for about 20 minutes.

"I said, ‘Guys, can we just get one thing clear to Teo’s dad: We want the fight.’ He (Lopez Sr.) said, ‘No, we want the fight.’ I said, ‘Well then, let’s stop arguing, get through our fights and get it made.’

"I know Devin will fight him and I do believe Teo will fight him. I think you will see that fight in spring of next year."

However Lopez Sr's latest comments will cast doubt on the undisputed tilt with Lopez preferring to pursue Scottish champion Taylor.

But Taylor will first need to complete his mandatory defence against domestic rival Jack Catterall on a rescheduled date in February next year.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...cid=entnewsntp

[TIC]

george has been winning the battle of the smack talk now he has to back it up in the ring

[Master]

Teofimo Lopez spent over $250,000 on camp for George Kambosos fight

Unified lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez claims he spent more than a $250,000 to prepare for his bout with George Kambosos Jr.

The pair have been scheduled to fight since February when Kambosos was ordered as mandatory challenger for Lopez's first title defence since beating Vasily Lomachenko in October of last year.

But after a number of delays from their initial June date, including the bout moving from Triller to Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing, the fight has taken the majority of this year to come to fruition.

And Lopez says that he has spent a massive chunk of his more than $3million purse on his camp.

"I spent a couple of thousand to make sure I took a test every day after I got Covid," Lopez told Mirror Fighting . "It took a whole month to finally get a negative test back.

"This camp? It's cost me about a quarter of a million dollars.

"We spend a lot of money doing what we do but it's my body so for me that's an investment, even though a lot of people don't see that."

Lopez claims that the amount he invests into his camps is the reason he doesn't wear flashy clothes or accessories.

He will earn a career-high purse of over $2.1million for his bout with Kambosos, as well as taking home $950,000 from Triller's deposit that was made prior to them defaulting on staging the fight.

"That's why I don't wear the jewellery," he continued. "The jewellery is being done in my body, rather than wearing diamonds.

"I spend that jewellery on my body, not that you don't want to be flashy, but yeah, I spent a quarter of a million on this camp."

The bout will take place at the Hulu Theatre in New York's Madison Square Garden, and despite the fact that all four governing bodies have belts on the line, it's not for the undisputed lightweight title.

Lopez insists he will be undisputed in the weight class should he win, but officially his rival Devin Haney is the WBC champion, while the New Yorker fights for the less recognised "franchise" title.

When Lomachenko was still champion of the division, he was elevated to "franchise" champion, which allowed Haney to be elevated from interim holder without a definitive title bout against the prior holder.

"This fight is for undisputed," Lopez insisted. "Did Devin Haney fight for his belt? No, back in the days, in boxing to become world champion you had to beat the guy, that is is a world champion.

"Devin Haney is not a world champion, Devin Haney is someone that is just holding something materially that is not an actual, true world title.

"This fight is undisputed, despite what any of them say."

Promoter Hearn, who also oversees Haney's career, disagrees with Lopez on what constitutes undisputed, claiming that a fight between the pair is needed to unify the division.

Haney's win over Zaur Abdullaev, at the same venue as this weekend's fight, was initially supposed to be for the interim title, but when Lomachenko was elevated, Haney was made champion, causing many a dispute amongst the division's contenders.

"He should be the undisputed champion, but he's not." Hearn explained to Mirror Fighting of Lopez's situation.

"The other governing bodies do not recognise the WBC franchise as a belt that you can unify with.

"So, in essence, he should be undisputed because he beat Lomachenko, but factually he's not and Devin Haney has the actual WBC title.

"That's the belt that the other governing bodies will allow you to unify with.

"So if you ask [WBC President] Mauricio Sulaiman, he'd tell you Lopez is undisputed, but other governing bodies would say 'no he's not, we don't recognise him as the undisputed world champion because he's not the WBC world champion.

"I've got to back my man Devin Haney and if Teofimo was my fighter, I'd probably call him undisputed."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...cid=entnewsntp