Teofimo Lopez (20-1) is calling for massive catchweight bout with welterweight champion Terence Crawford after defending his WBO 140-pound title with a controversial decision victory over Jamaine Davis in Las Vegas on Thursday.
‘Glory is next for me,’ Lopez said in the ring while facing a raucous, booing crowd. ‘None of these guys want to fight me. I’ll fight [Terence] Crawford at a catchweight. I’m here. I’m ready. I’ve always been ready. I’m younger, prettier, and a two-time unified champion at 25.’
On Thursday, the 26-year-old Lopez did not make a good argument for himself to fight the 40-0 Crawford.
Rather than dominating the underdog Ortiz (17-2-1), Lopez landed only 78 punches -his fewest in a 12-round bout.
To his credit, Ortiz put had an effective defensive game plan, although Lopez accused him of shying away from the action.
Teofimo Lopez celebrates defeating Jamaine Ortiz to retain the WBO junior welterweight title
Bud Crawford (40-0) was challenged by Teofimo Lopez, who demanded a catchweight bout
‘I tried my best for the people,’ Lopez said. ‘I even tried to box going backward and he didn’t want to commit.’
But if hLopez doesn’t fight Crawford, there are other options, perhaps including Devin Haney in a potential unification bout at 140 pounds.
Lopez was asked about fighting Haney before Thursday’s fight and certainty didn’t shut down the idea.
‘Maybe we will do a unification bout,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘That’s up to them on their side.’
The two seemed to be on a collision course when Lopez was coming off his stunning upset of Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020, but the 26-year-old Brooklynite has been through a lot since then: an upset loss to George Kambosos Jr. in 2021, a bout with COVID-19 that resulted in the cancellation of the rematch, and a public divorce from his wife, Cynthia.
His behavior became more erratic ahead of his title bout with Josh Taylor, which he falsely predicted would be his last bout on ESPN.
‘And just to put it on the spot, this is my last fight on ESPN,’ Lopez told Punsh Drunk Boxing in April of 2023.
He then launched into an attack on the network and his promoter that many fans felt was racist.
‘I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry,’ he continued. ‘This is why this fight [Josh Taylor] means everything to me. If they want the black fighters they can keep them. I brought [the sponsor] Bud Light to Top Rank.’
Teofimo Lopez exchanges punches with Jamaine Ortiz for the WBO junior welterweight title
After beating Taylor for the WBO 140-pound title, Lopez told reporters he’d be retiring, although that also proved to be false.
And his behavior didn’t get any less bizarre on Thursday.
Responding to boos after the controversial win (117-111, 115-113, 115-113), Lopez told irate spectators: ‘Suck a d*** no-homo!’
He may still have his WBO title, but if Lopez wants to fight Bud Crawford – one of the biggest names in boxing – he’ll need to put on a better show and leave the sophomoric post-fight antics alone.