Teofimo Lopez shocked lots of people with the best way he so simply dealt with Josh Taylor Saturday night time at mini-Madison Sq. Backyard (AKA MSG’s Hulu Theater) in New York. However, actually, nothing’s modified in terms of “The Takeover.”
The 25-year-old nonetheless appears fairly unhinged mentally and intellectually. He nonetheless provides off that vibe that he’s one burnt waffle or unhealthy mustache day away from a breakdown. He nonetheless typically presents a 25-going-on-9 maturity stage. And the parent-child dynamic in terms of him and his dad Teofimo Sr. remains to be solely barely much less poisonous than that of Norman Bates and Mom.
What was confirmed in opposition to Taylor, although, was that Lopez can go away all of that exterior the ring and nonetheless compete at an elite stage…no less than for now.
On this newest ring efficiency, cocksure trumped loopy and Lopez put a masterful beating on the man who pound-for-pound nerds have fapped to for years.
I’ve all the time felt that Josh Taylor was a bit overrated, however there’s no denying that he deserved to be thought of “elite” at 140. And there’s additionally no denying that Lopez dominated him, pitching a close to shutout on my scorecard from the fifth spherical on (regardless of the insane 115-113 playing cards submitted by judges Steve Grey and Joseph Pasquale, who should spend an evening enjoying drunken dominoes with Teofimo Sr. as punishment). That is Lopez’s second win over what ought to’ve been a unified 4-belt world champ in a second division and that’s fairly bad-ass.
It will’ve been much more bad-ass if Lopez would’ve completed that that in opposition to Devin Haney and Tank Davis slightly than an undersized Vasiliy Lomachenko and a Tartan Twister who snuggled up so readily to a submissive function.
That is under no circumstances an try and disparage Lopez’s achievements or his efficiency on Saturday. The man took care of enterprise and proved that he can go away the bullshit exterior the ring when he fights. He confirmed blister, bluster, and an adherence to fundamental fundamentals coupled along with his personal distinctive swagger. As I wrote on this previous Thursday’s Magno’s Bulging Mail Sack, the child has “an impressive talent set hardwired into his being.” And aside from his confused efficiency in opposition to spoiler Sandor Martin, he’s fought with delight and hearth all through his profession. How may anybody doubt the ring resolve of somebody who battled George Kambosos Jr. with a lung-crippling, doubtlessly lethal case of what turned out to be pneumomediastinum whereas not solely preserving the bout shut, however really approaching late, dropping Kambosos within the tenth spherical?
Teofimo will probably be ranked atop the junior welterweight division and it’s onerous to argue in opposition to that placement. For all intents and functions, with this one efficiency, he’s grow to be the person to beat at 140 with that correct mix of marketability and aggressive legitimacy.
He’s been on this place earlier than, although, and he blew it.
Again when Teofimo beat Lomachenko in October of 2020, excessive hubris, coupled with the unsuitable individuals whispering in his ear, turned his career-defining feel-good victory into, nearly, the start of the top. A doubtful scheme to power a handbag bid for his first title protection led to a maddening meandering that put him on the shelf for over a 12 months and, ultimately, facilitated the embarrassing loss to Kambosos.
It will be good to assume that he’s realized his lesson from that miscalculation, however he in all probability hasn’t. Take heed to any interview and the man’s stuffed with that very same mixture of delusion and psychological “offness.” Odds are good that he’ll repeat no matter errors he made earlier than and that he’ll maintain repeating them till they ultimately reach bringing him down.
Simply minutes after what ought to’ve been a gloriously completely satisfied second in his skilled life, Teofimo asserted that he’s nonetheless Teofimo, in all of the worst methods.
“25 years younger, 7-time world champion, 2-time lineal world champion, 2-divisional world champion,” Lopez informed FightHub TV at ringside. “I imply, two Corridor of Fame careers in a single, at simply 25. You possibly can’t inform me I’m not nice. You possibly can’t inform me that I’m not the double-greatest since Muhammad Ali. That is what I do. That is what I do greatest. Now, simply to stir it up, I’d retire after this struggle…Retirement. I’m form of drained. I’m not getting paid sufficient. 1,000,000 {dollars}? Get the fuck out of right here.”
Oh yeah, the child’s headed for one more fall.
Within the meantime, the ring will proceed to be Teofimo’s completely satisfied place, that one place the place his instincts are proper and his single-minded stubbornness is definitely a useful asset. And we get to observe him do his factor.
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