Teofimo Lopez Jr. called word out of Vasiliy Lomachenko’s camp that he fought with a shoulder injury an “excuse.”
Teofimo Lopez Jr. said word out of Vasiliy Lomachenko’s camp that the Ukrainian star fought with an injured shoulder on Oct. 17 is merely an “excuse.”
Lopez defeated Lomachenko by a clear unanimous decision to become undisputed lightweight champion inside the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas.
“The thing … that people need to understand … I was coming into this fight injured as well, if we want to talk about injuries, but I didn’t make any excuses about it,” he told TMZ. “This is just part of the sport. You are never going to come in at 100 percent in boxing or any type of combat sport. …
“I think by him doing that (revealing the shoulder injury), as someone who was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the whole world, and to use that excuse, I think it just looks more bad on him than anything else.”
Lopez didn’t stop there. He went on to discuss the chances of a rematch and Lomachenko’s behavior during and after the fight.
A rematch seems unlikely: “F— him. I won fair and square. I not only beat him at his own game, but being off for 10 months and fighting the guy people said was the best pound-for-pound. … I’m the king now. I’ve always been the king. I was just the underground king. Now, I’ve been crowned.”
Lomachenko’s dirty tactics: “I saw that he wanted to throw with me, so I said, ‘OK, we’re gonna throw together then.’ But that’s when the head butt came in. I got cut. He did some of his dirty tactics, but we still got the job done. I think we did it the best way that people didn’t expect us to do.”
Lomachenko’s poor sportsmanship: “I went up to him [after the fight] and I said good fight. I grabbed his father. I said, ‘Safe travels,’ pretty much saying goodbye to them because I knew I won. But he didn’t want to give me back that same gesture. Instead, he just started laughing like … [he’s thinking] what am I doing here [in their corner].
“So, I was like whatever, I did my part. The fighting’s done. I whooped your ass … you cut me, head-butted me and s—, but it’s fine.”
Lomachenko skipped the post-fight news conference: “That just shows what kind of champion he really is.”
Teofimo Lopez Jr. called word out of Vasiliy Lomachenko’s camp that he fought with a shoulder injury an “excuse.”
Teofimo Lopez Jr. said word out of Vasiliy Lomachenko’s camp that the Ukrainian star fought with an injured shoulder on Oct. 17 is merely an “excuse.”
Lopez defeated Lomachenko by a clear unanimous decision to become undisputed lightweight champion inside the MGM Grand “bubble” in Las Vegas.
“The thing … that people need to understand … I was coming into this fight injured as well, if we want to talk about injuries, but I didn’t make any excuses about it,” he told TMZ. “This is just part of the sport. You are never going to come in at 100 percent in boxing or any type of combat sport. …
“I think by him doing that (revealing the shoulder injury), as someone who was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the whole world, and to use that excuse, I think it just looks more bad on him than anything else.”
Lopez didn’t stop there. He went on to discuss the chances of a rematch and Lomachenko’s behavior during and after the fight.
A rematch seems unlikely: “F— him. I won fair and square. I not only beat him at his own game, but being off for 10 months and fighting the guy people said was the best pound-for-pound. … I’m the king now. I’ve always been the king. I was just the underground king. Now, I’ve been crowned.”
Lomachenko’s dirty tactics: “I saw that he wanted to throw with me, so I said, ‘OK, we’re gonna throw together then.’ But that’s when the head butt came in. I got cut. He did some of his dirty tactics, but we still got the job done. I think we did it the best way that people didn’t expect us to do.”
Lomachenko’s poor sportsmanship: “I went up to him [after the fight] and I said good fight. I grabbed his father. I said, ‘Safe travels,’ pretty much saying goodbye to them because I knew I won. But he didn’t want to give me back that same gesture. Instead, he just started laughing like … [he’s thinking] what am I doing here [in their corner].
“So, I was like whatever, I did my part. The fighting’s done. I whooped your ass … you cut me, head-butted me and s—, but it’s fine.”
Lomachenko skipped the post-fight news conference: “That just shows what kind of champion he really is.”
Vasiliy Lomachenko has apologized to his fans after losing to Teofimo Lopez Jr. this past Saturday in Las Vegas.
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted on DAZN.com.
***
Vasiliy Lomachenko has apologized to his fans after losing to Teofimo Lopez Jr. this past Saturday in Las Vegas, and offered some insight into what the future holds.
The Ukrainian was defeated for the first time since he lost a split decision to then-featherweight titleholder Orland Salido in his second pro fight.
Lomachenko (14-2, 10 KOs) hasn’t said much since the fight, but on Thursday he told 112 Ukraine: “It is always challenging to comment on something right after the fight. I would like to watch the fight first and then say something.
“Getting closer [to Lopez] was quite a challenge. The size, the reach played a huge role. I would like to apologize to everyone, apologize to my team, and thank you for all the support.”
Lomachenko also admitted that a potential rematch against Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) is out of his hands.
“It depends on him,” he said. “If he can give me a rematch, then, of course, I am ready.”
Lopez’s team offered little hope of a second fight. The champion’s manager, David McWater, said that while Lopez might remain at lightweight for a while, a rematch makes little sense to them.
“I can’t imagine a rematch,” McWater said. “Older guy never wins a rematch. If they fight again, Teofimo would hurt him badly. I don’t think Loma brings enough viewers to the table to pay both guys.”
Lomachenko’s promoter, Egis Klimas, confirmed this week that the fighter had surgery on his right shoulder Monday.
He said the injury was a combination of a pre-existing problem and further aggravation sustained in the second round against Lopez. It’s the second time the 32-year-old has gone under the knife for his shoulder. The first time was in May 2018.
“When he arrived in the States to prepare for the fight, he said in Ukraine he felt the sharp pain in his right shoulder,” Klimas said. “We took him right away to Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache to examine him.”
Vasiliy Lomachenko has apologized to his fans after losing to Teofimo Lopez Jr. this past Saturday in Las Vegas.
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted on DAZN.com.
***
Vasiliy Lomachenko has apologized to his fans after losing to Teofimo Lopez Jr. this past Saturday in Las Vegas, and offered some insight into what the future holds.
The Ukrainian was defeated for the first time since he lost a split decision to then-featherweight titleholder Orland Salido in his second pro fight.
Lomachenko (14-2, 10 KOs) hasn’t said much since the fight, but on Thursday he told 112 Ukraine: “It is always challenging to comment on something right after the fight. I would like to watch the fight first and then say something.
“Getting closer [to Lopez] was quite a challenge. The size, the reach played a huge role. I would like to apologize to everyone, apologize to my team, and thank you for all the support.”
Lomachenko also admitted that a potential rematch against Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) is out of his hands.
“It depends on him,” he said. “If he can give me a rematch, then, of course, I am ready.”
Lopez’s team offered little hope of a second fight. The champion’s manager, David McWater, said that while Lopez might remain at lightweight for a while, a rematch makes little sense to them.
“I can’t imagine a rematch,” McWater said. “Older guy never wins a rematch. If they fight again, Teofimo would hurt him badly. I don’t think Loma brings enough viewers to the table to pay both guys.”
Lomachenko’s promoter, Egis Klimas, confirmed this week that the fighter had surgery on his right shoulder Monday.
He said the injury was a combination of a pre-existing problem and further aggravation sustained in the second round against Lopez. It’s the second time the 32-year-old has gone under the knife for his shoulder. The first time was in May 2018.
“When he arrived in the States to prepare for the fight, he said in Ukraine he felt the sharp pain in his right shoulder,” Klimas said. “We took him right away to Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache to examine him.”
Teofimo Lopez Jr.’s manager believes the new undisputed champ will stay at 135 pounds and fight again by March.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Teofimo Lopez Jr.’s victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko on Saturday was tipped by some to be his last before moving up in weight.
The 23-year-old had even been quoted as claiming as such himself, though on Monday his manager David McWater said that wasn’t definite just yet.
“Teofimo says a lot of stuff,” McWater told Bad Left Hook. “He was 134.4 the morning of the weigh-in and had three liters of water and three meals the day before.
“With Perfecting Athletes (a South Florida-based outfit specializing in helping fighters make weight safely) on our side, it’s a whole different game. We might move up, but my guess is the next fight is a defense.”
McWater does not expect that defense to be a rematch with the Ukrainian, who was favored to defeat his younger opponent but was ultimately beaten at his own game.
“I can’t imagine a rematch,” McWater told the website. “Older guy never wins a rematch. If they fight again, Teofimo would hurt him badly. …
“[And] I don’t think Loma brings enough viewers to the table to pay both guys.”
If Lopez sticks around to defend his collection of title belts and a Lomachenko rematch is unlikely, then who?
On Monday, it was confirmed that the winner of the Lee Selby vs. George Kambosos bout on Oct. 31 will being recognized as mandatory challenger by the IBF, and McWater admitted the conventional route is very appealing.
“Yeah, I could see us fighting Selby or Kambosos,” McWater said. “They both have big fan bases in their countries.
“I can tell you exactly what he would say: ‘I’m a fighter, I need to fight.’ He’s not going to take long layoffs if he can help it. March 2021 at the latest.”
One possible reason Lopez would wait to move up to 140 is that the championships will be tied up for the foreseeable future.
Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor are poised for a unification showdown of their own next year, limiting Lopez’s options if he wants a big bout in his junior welterweight debut.
McWater agreed that timing is why a divisional switch probably isn’t the right move, at least not just yet.
“For me, I would want to move up if we got the winner of the Jose Ramirez-Josh Taylor fight,” he continued. “Other than that, I think more exciting fights are at 135.”
Teofimo Lopez Jr.’s manager believes the new undisputed champ will stay at 135 pounds and fight again by March.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Teofimo Lopez Jr.’s victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko on Saturday was tipped by some to be his last before moving up in weight.
The 23-year-old had even been quoted as claiming as such himself, though on Monday his manager David McWater said that wasn’t definite just yet.
“Teofimo says a lot of stuff,” McWater told Bad Left Hook. “He was 134.4 the morning of the weigh-in and had three liters of water and three meals the day before.
“With Perfecting Athletes (a South Florida-based outfit specializing in helping fighters make weight safely) on our side, it’s a whole different game. We might move up, but my guess is the next fight is a defense.”
McWater does not expect that defense to be a rematch with the Ukrainian, who was favored to defeat his younger opponent but was ultimately beaten at his own game.
“I can’t imagine a rematch,” McWater told the website. “Older guy never wins a rematch. If they fight again, Teofimo would hurt him badly. …
“[And] I don’t think Loma brings enough viewers to the table to pay both guys.”
If Lopez sticks around to defend his collection of title belts and a Lomachenko rematch is unlikely, then who?
On Monday, it was confirmed that the winner of the Lee Selby vs. George Kambosos bout on Oct. 31 will being recognized as mandatory challenger by the IBF, and McWater admitted the conventional route is very appealing.
“Yeah, I could see us fighting Selby or Kambosos,” McWater said. “They both have big fan bases in their countries.
“I can tell you exactly what he would say: ‘I’m a fighter, I need to fight.’ He’s not going to take long layoffs if he can help it. March 2021 at the latest.”
One possible reason Lopez would wait to move up to 140 is that the championships will be tied up for the foreseeable future.
Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor are poised for a unification showdown of their own next year, limiting Lopez’s options if he wants a big bout in his junior welterweight debut.
McWater agreed that timing is why a divisional switch probably isn’t the right move, at least not just yet.
“For me, I would want to move up if we got the winner of the Jose Ramirez-Josh Taylor fight,” he continued. “Other than that, I think more exciting fights are at 135.”
Vasiliy Lomachenko reportedly had shoulder Monday to repair a shoulder injury that bothered him during his fight with Teofimo Lopez.
Vasiliy Lomachenko evidently fought Teofimo Lopez with an injured right shoulder on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Lomachenko had surgery Monday night in Los Angeles to repair damage in the same area in which he had surgery after dislocating his shoulder against Jorge Linares in 2018.
Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache, Lomachenko’s surgeon, told Yahoo! Sports that Lomachenko had a “bruised rotator cuff and chipped a piece of cartilage” this time. ElAttrache said the left-handed fighter had difficulty throwing his right hook because of the injury.
Lomachenko should be able to resume training in January,
The now-former lightweight titleholder lost a unanimous decision to Lopez inside the MGM Grand “bubble.”
“When he came in from the Ukraine for his last stages of preparation for the fight, he was having some difficulty with the shoulder,” ElAttrache told Yahoo! Sports. “It turns out he had badly bruised the rotator cuff and chipped a piece of cartilage, which we didn’t realize at the time.
“But we knew he’d badly bruised the rotator cuff and badly bruised the bone where the rotator cuff attaches to the shoulder. That was roughly six weeks before the fight and we got him to where he was comfortable enough to train. He said he was able to train OK, but it continued to cause him pain during the fight.
“We operated on him last night and he had what we call a hemorrhagic thickened bursitis. That’s the tissue that lubricates and cushions the rotator cuff, which is where we had treated him and injected him before the fight.
“On the inside of the shoulder where he had previously dislocated the shoulder, he had chipped the cartilage on the inside of the socket. That was right next to the [previous] repair so I did a small touch-up of the repair so I could cover up the bare cartilage in the front of the shoulder.”
ElAttrache said he expects Lomachenko to make a full recovery.
“The things we did for him after the first surgery made him pain-free and his shoulder stable enough that he could go and win a couple of championships after that surgery,” ElAttrache said.
“I wouldn’t expect he’d have any limitation after this one for what we were able to do. Not all repeat surgeries have a worse prognosis.”
Bob Arum, Lomachenko’s promoter, said he didn’t know before the fight that Lomachenko was having problems with the shoulder.
Vasiliy Lomachenko reportedly had shoulder Monday to repair a shoulder injury that bothered him during his fight with Teofimo Lopez.
Vasiliy Lomachenko evidently fought Teofimo Lopez with an injured right shoulder on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Lomachenko had surgery Monday night in Los Angeles to repair damage in the same area in which he had surgery after dislocating his shoulder against Jorge Linares in 2018.
Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache, Lomachenko’s surgeon, told Yahoo! Sports that Lomachenko had a “bruised rotator cuff and chipped a piece of cartilage” this time. ElAttrache said the left-handed fighter had difficulty throwing his right hook because of the injury.
Lomachenko should be able to resume training in January,
The now-former lightweight titleholder lost a unanimous decision to Lopez inside the MGM Grand “bubble.”
“When he came in from the Ukraine for his last stages of preparation for the fight, he was having some difficulty with the shoulder,” ElAttrache told Yahoo! Sports. “It turns out he had badly bruised the rotator cuff and chipped a piece of cartilage, which we didn’t realize at the time.
“But we knew he’d badly bruised the rotator cuff and badly bruised the bone where the rotator cuff attaches to the shoulder. That was roughly six weeks before the fight and we got him to where he was comfortable enough to train. He said he was able to train OK, but it continued to cause him pain during the fight.
“We operated on him last night and he had what we call a hemorrhagic thickened bursitis. That’s the tissue that lubricates and cushions the rotator cuff, which is where we had treated him and injected him before the fight.
“On the inside of the shoulder where he had previously dislocated the shoulder, he had chipped the cartilage on the inside of the socket. That was right next to the [previous] repair so I did a small touch-up of the repair so I could cover up the bare cartilage in the front of the shoulder.”
ElAttrache said he expects Lomachenko to make a full recovery.
“The things we did for him after the first surgery made him pain-free and his shoulder stable enough that he could go and win a couple of championships after that surgery,” ElAttrache said.
“I wouldn’t expect he’d have any limitation after this one for what we were able to do. Not all repeat surgeries have a worse prognosis.”
Bob Arum, Lomachenko’s promoter, said he didn’t know before the fight that Lomachenko was having problems with the shoulder.
Teofimo Lopez’s victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko will open doors for other young fighters.
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted on SportingNews.com.
***
Teofimo Lopez has changed the game.
The 23-year-old shocked the boxing world by dethroning arguably the best fighter in the world pound for pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, via unanimous decision to become the unified 135-pound champion.
Lopez demonstrated tremendous poise as he put together an exquisite performance to win by scores of 116-112, 117-111 and a preposterous 119-109. Regardless of that last score, the right man won.
It wasn’t just that Lopez beat Lomachenko but also the way he did it. If Lopez would have knocked out the Ukrainian, then detractors would have suggested a lucky punch was involved. Instead, Lopez deployed a masterful game plan, kept his composure when things got dicey and pulled off the unthinkable: He outboxed Lomachenko.
But what Lopez did Saturday night went beyond him fulfilling his personal prophecy. He also kicked down the door for young fighters to get opportunities immediately. If a 23-year-old can outbox the greatest amateur boxer to walk the earth, then what can the rest of the under-25 crowd do?
For years, boxing has forced young fighters to wait their turn before being given a chance at becoming a world champion against the biggest names in the sport. Boxers get world title shots with spruced-up records like 35-0, with 30 knockouts, that are racked up against a litany of names people have never heard. There’s nothing wrong with a fighter getting in rounds to see different looks and sharpen their skill set. But there are also fighters who have been spinning their wheels against no-name opponents while they await an opportunity.
And the fans have had to suffer as rising stars are engaged in numerous mismatches to build records. It’s not fun for the fans and it can’t be fun for the fighters who believe they are ready now.
To be clear, some fighters actually need the rounds. Deontay Wilder was far from world champion material despite starting his career with 32 knockouts in 32 wins. There were holes in his game that needed to be plugged and looks from opponents that needed to be seen. Rising super middleweight wrecking machine Edward Berlanga certainly could stand an uptick in durable opponents; He has collected 15 consecutive first-round knockouts to begin his career.
Then there are fighters like Lopez, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis, Jaron Ennis, Shakur Stevenson, Vergil Ortiz and many others who were told that they weren’t ready for the spotlight.
Lopez not only shut down that idea, he crushed it with his stellar performance against Lomachenko. Fighters under 25 should rejoice; now they can go through that door and get their own shot before that 36th fight.
A good amount of under-25 fighters have become world champions, but they’ve rarely become champions against the best in the business. Getting a shot against arguably the best in the world? Even more unlikely.
Lomachenko-Lopez was positioned a lot like Floyd Mayweather’s 2013 clash with Canelo Alvarez, when Mayweather schooled an opponent 13 years his junior. It was perceived as a dangerous fight for Mayweather, who was facing a younger and naturally bigger fighter. It certainly was a risk, but Mayweather put on a masterful performance in which experience was far more important than youth. Alvarez still got the much-needed rub for his career and has since gone on to become a top pound-for-pound fighter.
Lopez and, to a greater extent, his father-trainer should take a lot of responsibility for this fight taking place. The elder Lopez spent the past couple of years telling the world just how great his son was. To the younger Lopez’s credit, he made his father look like a genius in every outing. From the highlight-reel knockouts to the show-stealing celebrations, Lopez Jr. took advantage of the social media era by creating viral moments. He wasn’t just winning; he was also looking good while winning. All the while, his boisterous father continued to tell the media that his son would take out the greatest amateur in boxing history.
It was manifest destiny.
But Lopez the fighter still had to hold up his half of the bargain.
There were legitimate questions about whether he possessed the IQ to outthink Lomachenko. Brute force alone wouldn’t work. Little did the boxing world know, Lopez was way ahead of everyone else.
Unlike Alvarez, Lopez stuck to a game plan that included a steady diet of jabs and body punches that were hard enough to force Lomachenko to wait his turn. And that’s what the Ukrainian did, round after round after round. Clearly, Lomachenko’s plan was to break Lopez mentally by dissecting, and then turning upside down, his plan. Unfortunately for Loma, Lopez rarely broke stride. As the seventh round began, Lomachenko found himself in a hole. It wasn’t Lopez who couldn’t figure out how to get to him; it was Lomachenko who couldn’t get Lopez out of his rhythm.
That forced Lomachenko into the rare position of having to use pressure in hopes of cracking the younger fighter’s focus. He came close at times. In Rounds 9-11, an aggressive Lomachenko ripped Lopez with a combination that seemed to take the steam out of the fighter from Brooklyn.
What Lomachenko didn’t expect was Lopez biting down on his gumshield, never breaking character and staying within himself to not give “Hi-Tech” the opening he needed to win the fight.
It wasn’t strength and speed that beat Lomachenko but rather boxing IQ. Lopez proved he was mature enough to use his physical attributes in a manner that wouldn’t expose him to danger. It was a performance that we should be talking about for quite some time.
It also took the hinges off the door that had been keeping out a new generation seeking its pound of flesh from the top fighters. Not everyone will be as successful as Lopez, but these are the fights that fans want.
The boxing world is already salivating over the idea of Lopez facing Haney or Garcia. Or maybe Lopez will go up to 140 and challenge the winner of Jose Ramirez vs. Josh Taylor. Davis is lurking, too; he’ll face Leo Santa Cruz on pay-per-view at the end of October.
All of these fighters have a chance to cast their ballot for the fictional pound-for-pound list sooner rather than later thanks to Lopez.
A lot of credit needs to go to Lomachenko, as well. Yes, he wanted the title that Lopez held, but he wasn’t afraid to challenge the young lion. In hindsight, maybe he should have reconsidered that position. But that’s what great fighters do. And the best never turn down an opponent, regardless of age.
Will the older fighters accept the challenge from the new wave of fighters? Thanks to Lopez, now they have to.
Teofimo Lopez’s victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko will open doors for other young fighters.
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted on SportingNews.com.
***
Teofimo Lopez has changed the game.
The 23-year-old shocked the boxing world by dethroning arguably the best fighter in the world pound for pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, via unanimous decision to become the unified 135-pound champion.
Lopez demonstrated tremendous poise as he put together an exquisite performance to win by scores of 116-112, 117-111 and a preposterous 119-109. Regardless of that last score, the right man won.
It wasn’t just that Lopez beat Lomachenko but also the way he did it. If Lopez would have knocked out the Ukrainian, then detractors would have suggested a lucky punch was involved. Instead, Lopez deployed a masterful game plan, kept his composure when things got dicey and pulled off the unthinkable: He outboxed Lomachenko.
But what Lopez did Saturday night went beyond him fulfilling his personal prophecy. He also kicked down the door for young fighters to get opportunities immediately. If a 23-year-old can outbox the greatest amateur boxer to walk the earth, then what can the rest of the under-25 crowd do?
For years, boxing has forced young fighters to wait their turn before being given a chance at becoming a world champion against the biggest names in the sport. Boxers get world title shots with spruced-up records like 35-0, with 30 knockouts, that are racked up against a litany of names people have never heard. There’s nothing wrong with a fighter getting in rounds to see different looks and sharpen their skill set. But there are also fighters who have been spinning their wheels against no-name opponents while they await an opportunity.
And the fans have had to suffer as rising stars are engaged in numerous mismatches to build records. It’s not fun for the fans and it can’t be fun for the fighters who believe they are ready now.
To be clear, some fighters actually need the rounds. Deontay Wilder was far from world champion material despite starting his career with 32 knockouts in 32 wins. There were holes in his game that needed to be plugged and looks from opponents that needed to be seen. Rising super middleweight wrecking machine Edward Berlanga certainly could stand an uptick in durable opponents; He has collected 15 consecutive first-round knockouts to begin his career.
Then there are fighters like Lopez, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis, Jaron Ennis, Shakur Stevenson, Vergil Ortiz and many others who were told that they weren’t ready for the spotlight.
Lopez not only shut down that idea, he crushed it with his stellar performance against Lomachenko. Fighters under 25 should rejoice; now they can go through that door and get their own shot before that 36th fight.
A good amount of under-25 fighters have become world champions, but they’ve rarely become champions against the best in the business. Getting a shot against arguably the best in the world? Even more unlikely.
Lomachenko-Lopez was positioned a lot like Floyd Mayweather’s 2013 clash with Canelo Alvarez, when Mayweather schooled an opponent 13 years his junior. It was perceived as a dangerous fight for Mayweather, who was facing a younger and naturally bigger fighter. It certainly was a risk, but Mayweather put on a masterful performance in which experience was far more important than youth. Alvarez still got the much-needed rub for his career and has since gone on to become a top pound-for-pound fighter.
Lopez and, to a greater extent, his father-trainer should take a lot of responsibility for this fight taking place. The elder Lopez spent the past couple of years telling the world just how great his son was. To the younger Lopez’s credit, he made his father look like a genius in every outing. From the highlight-reel knockouts to the show-stealing celebrations, Lopez Jr. took advantage of the social media era by creating viral moments. He wasn’t just winning; he was also looking good while winning. All the while, his boisterous father continued to tell the media that his son would take out the greatest amateur in boxing history.
It was manifest destiny.
But Lopez the fighter still had to hold up his half of the bargain.
There were legitimate questions about whether he possessed the IQ to outthink Lomachenko. Brute force alone wouldn’t work. Little did the boxing world know, Lopez was way ahead of everyone else.
Unlike Alvarez, Lopez stuck to a game plan that included a steady diet of jabs and body punches that were hard enough to force Lomachenko to wait his turn. And that’s what the Ukrainian did, round after round after round. Clearly, Lomachenko’s plan was to break Lopez mentally by dissecting, and then turning upside down, his plan. Unfortunately for Loma, Lopez rarely broke stride. As the seventh round began, Lomachenko found himself in a hole. It wasn’t Lopez who couldn’t figure out how to get to him; it was Lomachenko who couldn’t get Lopez out of his rhythm.
That forced Lomachenko into the rare position of having to use pressure in hopes of cracking the younger fighter’s focus. He came close at times. In Rounds 9-11, an aggressive Lomachenko ripped Lopez with a combination that seemed to take the steam out of the fighter from Brooklyn.
What Lomachenko didn’t expect was Lopez biting down on his gumshield, never breaking character and staying within himself to not give “Hi-Tech” the opening he needed to win the fight.
It wasn’t strength and speed that beat Lomachenko but rather boxing IQ. Lopez proved he was mature enough to use his physical attributes in a manner that wouldn’t expose him to danger. It was a performance that we should be talking about for quite some time.
It also took the hinges off the door that had been keeping out a new generation seeking its pound of flesh from the top fighters. Not everyone will be as successful as Lopez, but these are the fights that fans want.
The boxing world is already salivating over the idea of Lopez facing Haney or Garcia. Or maybe Lopez will go up to 140 and challenge the winner of Jose Ramirez vs. Josh Taylor. Davis is lurking, too; he’ll face Leo Santa Cruz on pay-per-view at the end of October.
All of these fighters have a chance to cast their ballot for the fictional pound-for-pound list sooner rather than later thanks to Lopez.
A lot of credit needs to go to Lomachenko, as well. Yes, he wanted the title that Lopez held, but he wasn’t afraid to challenge the young lion. In hindsight, maybe he should have reconsidered that position. But that’s what great fighters do. And the best never turn down an opponent, regardless of age.
Will the older fighters accept the challenge from the new wave of fighters? Thanks to Lopez, now they have to.
