SPORTS FACTS AND FIGURES 25: TEOFIMO LOPEZ CALLS OUT TERENCE CRAWFORD
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 25 Jan 2024
Teofimo Lopez made a gutsy claim that he would beat Vasiliy Lomachenko if their paths crossed atop the ring. And when he was given the opportunity Lopez went on to defeat Lomachenko by unanimous decision on October 17, 2020 at MGM Grand Conference Center, Paradise, Nevada, USA where he retained his IBF lightweight title and won the WBA (Super), WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles.
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Then Lopez yielded to George Kambosos Jr. by split decision on November 27, 2021 and lost his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles. He challenged Josh Taylor winning by unanimous decision on June 10, 2023 at Hulu Theater, Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USA. where he won the WBO and The Ring light welterweight titles.
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Taylor was a former undefeated undisputed champion, and was perceived as the big gun at super lightweight. Lopez was the underdog, much like the Lomachenko encounter but he pushed for it. Presently, Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) is targeting another world pound-for-pound rated opponent.
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Terence Crawford, after a very convincing stoppage of Errol Spence Jr., is rated as one of the best if not the best fighter in the world. Crawford is no doubt a legend and is hands down for the Hall of Fame. But Lopez believes he is more superior than Crawford.
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“Do I want Crawford? Absolutely,” said Lopez in a self-recorded video as quoted by Boxing Scene. “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.”
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But Lopez will be staking his WBO super lightweight title when he defends it against Jamaine Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs) of Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. He must concentrate first on the 27-year-old Ortiz before diverting his focus on Crawford. “First things first though, we got to knock this guy out of the way. He’s in front of me, Jamaine Ortiz,” added Lopez.
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Lopez was born Teofimo Andres Lopez Rivera on
July 30, 1997, now age 26, in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is nicknamed "The Takeover." As an amateur fighter, he won the gold medal in the Golden Gloves 2015 in Las Vegas in the lightweight category.
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Los Angeles Clippers beat the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time in their three games this season. Kawhi Leonard scored his second career triple-double, James Harden had 23 points and 10 assists and the Clippers won 127-116 on Tuesday night.
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Leonard collected 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, including three important ones in the fourth period when the Clippers needed them most to hang on to a small lead.
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Sports History: January 25, 1939. Joe Louis retained the world heavyweight title by defeating John Henry Lewis.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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