Teofimo Lopez is looking to regain his world champion status when he challenges WBA (Super) welterweight champion Rolando Romero in August, but ‘The Takeover’ already knows the fight that he wants to come after that outing.
Lopez dethroned lineal champions in Vasyl Lomachenko and Josh Taylor when he claimed world honours at lightweight and super-lightweight respectively, but he was outclassed by Shakur Stevenson back in January – losing his WBO 140lb title by a wide unanimous decision.
The Brooklyn-based 28-year-old has wasted no time in thrusting himself back into the mix though, accepting a shot at Romero’s WBA world title upon his 147lb debut, seeking to become a three-division world champion.
In an interview with Ring Magazine, Lopez looked ahead to the fight and admitted that Romero’s awkwardness is what makes him a difficult obstacle, and highlighted it as the reason why he was able to trump Ryan Garcia last year.
“A true champion can adapt to anything and I think, with Rolly, he has definitely improved and he is awkward at times. He throws his punches in weird ways and I think that is what makes for an exciting fight and an exciting return for me.
“I think, just with the Ryan Garcia fight, him having that as his last win and his last fight, I think that he has great momentum.”
Lopez then went on to reveal plans for the victor of his fight with Romero to accept a unification showdown with the winner of Ryan Garcia’s September dust-up with Conor Benn, where Garcia hopes he can make a first defence of his WBC welterweight world title.
“On my end, as well, I think that this possibly leads to the winner taking on the winner out of Conor Benn and Ryan Garcia, that is what we are looking forward to.
“But, as of right now, at 147lbs, I am looking to take over and become the undisputed and three-time lineal world champion.”
Romero vs. Lopez takes place on Saturday, August 22, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
