Teofimo Lopez looks to go 2-0 in 2024 when he defends the WBO and Ring Magazine super lightweight belts against Steve Claggett on June 29. With a victory, "The Takeover" can move on to some potentially massive fights against some of the best in boxing.
The 26-year-old Lopez heads to Miami for the first time as a pro. Since outpointing Josh Taylor for super lightweight gold last May, the 26-year-old boxer-puncher from Brooklyn has posted a less-than-stellar points win over Jamaine Ortiz, who entered that bout as a huge underdog.
Consequently, Lopez won't underestimate Claggett, a former NABF super lightweight champion with 26 wins via knockout.
“Every fighter has their moments of openings. You just gotta take your time and see them. The only time you get to really see it is right there in those moments in live action,” Lopez told The Sporting News. “I know Steve Claggett’s a fighter that comes forward, throws a lot of punches. He has great conditioning, and so do I. I know it’s going to be a great performance from both. May the best man win.
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“I have so much to gain from this fight. I don’t see it as a loss. I see it as a gain for everything. I’m just looking forward to a great performance.”
Lopez has 13 wins via knockout, with his last win via the power punch being a TKO win over Pedro Campa in 2022. Before that, his previous fight to not go the distance was his IBF lightweight title win over Richard Commey in 2019.
He has credited Claggett’s efforts but is ready to turn it up a notch against the Canadian contender.
“My prediction… I’m ready to go 12 rounds if needed. You can’t really say what can happen until you're there. Just with my punch output, my combinations, my positioning punches, I believe this fight is not going to go twelve rounds,” Lopez said. “Despite this guy coming forward, being who he is, he does slow down after the sixth and seventh rounds. I look forward to picking him apart."
There are a lot of wheels turning in the super lightweight division. The WBA champ Isaac Cruz defends his belt for the first time against Jose Valenzuela on August 3, Liam Paro dethroned Subriel Matias for the IBF title earlier this month, and Alberto Puello was recently upgraded to full WBC champion after Devin Haney relinquished the title. You also have Jack Catterall going against Regis Prograis in the U.K. on August 24.
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Following a brief retirement, Lopez is ready for all challengers and wants to make up for lost time by fighting multiple times in 2024. Catterall recently called him out, and the division has several top contenders who are eager for a shot at glory. The champion knows his value in boxing, which increased after he beat Vasiliy Lomachenko for lightweight gold in 2020.
“They are going to call out the best fighter in their division and that’s Teofimo Lopez,” he said. “We have The Ring Magazine belt, the most prestigious belt in all of boxing history. On top of that, we have the WBO. Those things right there are huge accolades. I’m the biggest guy they want to face... it’s all about timing. [Catterall] still has unfinished business with Josh Taylor. It’s 1-1 right now. They gotta finish with a trilogy.
“I think all the fighters in my division are ‘C’ fighters, C-level fighters. I don’t even think they are at a ‘B’ level. They are too easy to beat... very [predictable]. You can see the amount of shots they’re about to throw before they throw them. It’s definitely predictable. They are great fighters overall. They come forward and are true champions, but not in this class.”
Outside his division, Lopez has looked for a fight with pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford. The former undisputed welterweight king hasn't fought since winning all the gold at 147 by stopping Errol Spence Jr. last July. “Bud” returns to action in August, moving up in weight to challenge Israil Madrimov for the WBA super welterweight title.
MORE: Who wins Teofimo Lopez vs. Steve Claggett?
While a move to welterweight wouldn’t be much of a hassle for Lopez, the super welterweight division could be another story. Still, the 140-pound champ hopes the Crawford dream fight can become a reality.
“[Crawford is] still king, the guy is still lineal world champion at 147,” Lopez said. “Until he lets go of that belt, these are the guys that I want to face. [The move to 154] could just be a one-off until then. That could be a lot of things. It could be a test run for him because I know that he wants to face the likes of Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.
“So we'll see how everything precipitates on that and focus on the most important part -- the best fighting the best.”
Until a fight against Crawford or one of the other super lightweight champs can even be considered, Lopez must retain against Claggett. He wants to put on a show and highlight his overall ability.
“Teofimo brings entertainment to the sport, so enjoy it while I’m here because you never know when I might really hang it up,” said Lopez with a grin.
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