Teofimo Lopez has never been short on confidence but as his showdown against Josh Taylor gets a bit closer, his confident attitude has grown to hubris. This upcoming weekend, at the Hulu Theater in New York’s Madison Square Garden, Lopez will look to become a two-division champion.
Long before the two agreed to terms for their super lightweight clash, Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) has always believed that Taylor has virtually no chance against him. Tim Bradley, on the other hand, after sifting through hours of game tape from both fighters, wholeheartedly disagrees with Lopez’s assertion.
“He loses,” said Bradley to K.O. Artist Sports when asked if he believes that Lopez has what it takes to pick up the win. “Josh Taylor is a dog man.”
From 2018-2021, Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) enjoyed loads of success. Over that time span, the Scottish native not only took on five consecutive undefeated opponents but he also fully unified the division. Yet, when he was ostensibly at the top of his game, Jack Catterall gave the undisputed titlist a harsh wake-up call. Although their showdown didn’t result in Taylor actually losing his titles, the controversial scorecards left a sour taste in his mouth.
From there, Catterall publicly ripped Taylor, claiming that the 32-year-old wasn’t a real champion. Admittedly, Catterall’s criticism, paired with the outside noise, forced Taylor into an uncomfortable position. In an attempt to lure Catterall back into the ring and prove that his words were mendacious, Taylor dropped three of his four titles to avoid the endless parade of mandatory challengers. Still, despite relinquishing his undisputed throne, the two were unable to hammer out a deal for an immediate sequel.
According to Bradley, Taylor’s need to prove himself isn’t the only reason why Lopez will have a disastrous night.
Since moving up in weight, Lopez may have reeled off two consecutive victories but his overall performances have been lackluster. As Bradley takes a long and strong look at the rest of the super lightweight division’s elite, he surmises that whether it’s Taylor or one of the division’s upper echelons, Lopez simply won’t be able to compete.
“He’s dog food for the top 140s.”
By Hans Themistode