By: Sean Cross
A few years ago, he surprised many people when he chose Vasyl Lomachenko. Now, after a sudden loss of his own, Teofimo Lopez is working to establish himself at junior welterweight. In colorful, power-hitting New York, Lopez will undoubtedly be must-see television, which is why fans will be tuning in to ESPN when the 17-1 fighter takes on 40-2 Sandor Martin in the main event at Madison Square Garden. Card. Martin He is best known for his upset of the legendary Mikey Garcia in 2021, a victory that later led to Garcia’s retirement from the ring, using his health and wealth strategically.
In fact, this is not easy for Lopez, who ended up winning overall. Martin is an enigma in the ring. Garcia was probably one of the most deliberate fighters of his era and he couldn’t recognize Martin. Can Lopez? He punches harder than Garcia, sure, but Lopez has yet to prove that his power has carried over well since moving up from lightweight to junior welterweight. Lopez will no doubt be a hot favorite, but he will need to be at his best if he is to best Martin in front of his hometown.
Certainly, the only man who beat Lopez was George Cambossos, himself an awkward fighter. However, Lopez tried to do too much too soon in that fight, hoping to start an early knockdown. Suffice it to say, he probably learned from experience. Most importantly, it should be noted that Lopez took on one of the most infamous fighters in the history of the sport, Vasyl Lomachenko. Believe it or not, there’s a lot riding on the fight against Saturday’s Man. Names like Josh Taylor and Regis Prograis could be opponents if Lopez does well this weekend.
What’s more, Lopez is a great fit for the promoter, simply because he has such a colorful personality. “I had to get out of the 130-pound division because I didn’t need to lead by example there anymore,” he said. FightHub. so funny? Of course – but also smart. Statements like these draw eyeballs, interest and ultimately dollars. Like Lopez, he suddenly yells at Martin during a commercial face-off. To be sure – there is only one Teofimo Lopez, and he wants you to know him. Whether or not he will take over the junior welterweight division the way he did the lightweight division remains to be seen.
