TEOFIMO LOPEZ is decided to reclaim his love for boxing and never enterprise beginning with Saturday’s encounter with Steve Claggett.
The 26-year-old may need produced a restricted version run of Teofimo bobbleheads which can retail for $250, however he insists that earning money is just not the be-all and end-all given it was his quest for glory that ignited his love for the game within the first place.
Lopez was a boxing prodigy who punched his solution to {hardware} all through his teenagers however his meteoric rise to the highest has slowed considerably because of the shock defeat to George Kambosos Jr in 2021 and plenty of private issues outdoors of the ring.
He has additionally lifted the lid on monetary turmoil regardless of plenty of cash spinning fights all through his eight years as an expert and he claimed to Boxing Information that he’s nonetheless not getting the requisite funds even now.
On Saturday, he takes on Claggett on the James L Knight Middle in Miami Seashore in a struggle that’s unlikely to financial institution the type of cash he acquired for the extra high-profile nights of his profession. However that’s advantageous by Lopez who’s doubling down on his efforts so as to add to an already spectacular legacy
“I don’t like that it’s a enterprise,” he tells Boxing Information. “After I was a younger child, my solely focus was the legacy, glory and accolades that include it.
“I get all these issues however do I ever get the substantial sum of money that these different fighters received? Completely not so clearly there’s a enterprise facet to it in thoughts that they’ve however they don’t have the credentials that I’ve. It’s attempting to rewire that enterprise mindset and standpoint.
“I may not be getting the funds which are wanted in my life proper now – but it surely’s not even a necessity, it’s a need. I’m attempting to match myself to others however I simply want to remain in my lane and admire what I’ve as a result of it’s a lot better than lots of people have on the planet. And it’s so much higher than I ever dreamt of as a younger child. Boxing is a good avenue to life. It has moulded me right into a champion.”
He’s at the moment the WBO super-lightweight champion because of his June victory over Josh Taylor. He made a profitable however lacklustre first defence in opposition to Jamaine Ortiz in February and is now again in motion simply 4 months later.
He’s at the moment considered one of 4 world champions in his weight class however, with no viable route towards a unification conflict with anybody, Prime Rank determined Claggett was a viable opponent for this conflict as an alternative.
“I’m attempting my finest to be No.1 and doing what I’ve to do,” Lopez added. “Exercise is the important thing.
“I simply give it time. The whole lot involves those that wait and work exhausting for it, That’s actually what I’m doing at this level. I’m the champion, I’m the king of the division and actually in terms of it, I stay up for simply seeing how far more I can do and the way far more I can be taught and develop within the sport of boxing.”
Claggett, for his half, arrives in Miami on a nine-fight profitable streak. The Canadian has suffered seven defeats in his profession however the final of these got here method again in Might 2021. Nonetheless, he has by no means boxed over 12 rounds and, though he has operated up at welterweight a couple of instances in his profession, he has by no means combined with anybody who can punch like Lopez.
However Lopez flattered to deceive at instances in opposition to Ortiz and struggled to chop the ring off in an effort to discover a solution to really damage the challenger that evening. Let’s not overlook, following his 2022 break up determination victory over Sandor Martin, throughout which he was dropped, Lopez famously requested ‘Do I nonetheless received it?’
The victory over Taylor in his very subsequent outing proved that he very a lot nonetheless does and Claggett will do properly to make it the entire 12-round distance right here. What’s extra seemingly is for Lopez to determine management of the struggle within the first quarter, flip the screw within the second after which shut the present shortly after that.
Then he can get again to flogging his bobbleheads.
