TEOFIMO LOPEZ is decided to reclaim his love for boxing and not enterprise beginning with Saturday’s encounter with Steve Claggett.
The 26-year-old may need produced a restricted version run of Teofimo bobbleheads which can retail for $250, however he insists that being profitable is just not the be-all and end-all given it was his quest for glory that ignited his love for the game in the primary place.
Lopez was a boxing prodigy who punched his method to {hardware} all through his teenagers however his meteoric rise to the highest has slowed considerably due to the shock defeat to George Kambosos Jr in 2021 and a lot of private issues outdoors of the ring.
He has additionally lifted the lid on monetary turmoil regardless of a lot of cash spinning fights all through his eight years as an expert and he claimed to Boxing News that he’s nonetheless not getting the requisite funds even now.
On Saturday, he takes on Claggett on the James L Knight Center in Miami Beach in a struggle that’s unlikely to financial institution the kind of cash he obtained for the extra high-profile nights of his profession. But that’s nice by Lopez who’s doubling down on his efforts to add to an already spectacular legacy
“I don’t like that it’s a business,” he tells Boxing News. “When I used to be a younger child, my solely focus was the legacy, glory and accolades that include it.
“I get all these issues however do I ever get the substantial amount of cash that these different fighters bought? Absolutely not so clearly there’s a enterprise facet to it in thoughts that they’ve however they don’t have the credentials that I’ve. It’s making an attempt to rewire that enterprise mindset and standpoint.
“I might not be getting the funds that are needed in my life right now – but it’s not even a need, it’s a want. I am trying to compare myself to others but I just need to stay in my lane and appreciate what I have because it’s much better than a lot of people have in the world. And it’s a lot better than I ever dreamt of as a young kid. Boxing is a great avenue to life. It has moulded me into a champion.”
He is at the moment the WBO super-lightweight champion on account of his June victory over Josh Taylor. He made a profitable however lacklustre first defence in opposition to Jamaine Ortiz in February and is now again in motion simply 4 months later.
He is at the moment considered one of 4 world champions in his weight class however, with no viable route towards a unification conflict with anybody, Top Rank determined Claggett was a viable opponent for this conflict as a substitute.
“I’m trying my best to be No.1 and doing what I have to do,” Lopez added. “Activity is the important thing.
“I just give it time. Everything comes to those who wait and work hard for it, That’s really what I’m doing at this point. I’m the champion, I’m the king of the division and really when it comes to it, I look forward to just seeing how much more I can do and how much more I can learn and grow in the sport of boxing.”
Claggett, for his half, arrives in Miami on a nine-fight successful streak. The Canadian has suffered seven defeats in his profession however the final of these got here method again in May 2021. However, he has by no means boxed over 12 rounds and, though he has operated up at welterweight just a few occasions in his profession, he has by no means blended with anybody who can punch like Lopez.
But Lopez flattered to deceive at occasions in opposition to Ortiz and struggled to lower the ring off in order to discover a method to actually harm the challenger that night time. Let’s not overlook, following his 2022 break up choice victory over Sandor Martin, throughout which he was dropped, Lopez famously requested ‘Do I still got it?’
The victory over Taylor in his very subsequent outing proved that he very a lot nonetheless does and Claggett will do effectively to make it the entire 12-round distance right here. What is extra possible is for Lopez to set up management of the struggle in the primary quarter, flip the screw in the second and then shut the present shortly after that.
Then he can get again to flogging his bobbleheads.
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