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Teofimo Lopez’s long layoff has left him feeling underappreciated, as if fans have forgotten about his career-changing victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko.
The undefeated, unified lightweight champion will fight for the first time Saturday night in the 13 months since he beat Lomachenko. He is heavily favored, 10-1 according to most sportsbooks, to beat George Kambosos Jr. in their 12-round fight for Lopez’s IBF, WBA, WBC franchise and WBO 135-pound championships at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York.
Lopez promised after making weight Friday afternoon that he’ll remind fans and media just what makes him one of boxing’s best by battering Kambosos in the main event of a card DAZN will stream, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
“Tomorrow night, man, y’all gonna see how much work we been putting in this,” Lopez told DAZN’s Curran Bhatia. “And I’m just looking forward to putting on a show for everybody, man. It’s been a long time coming. And it’s about time, man. It’s the takeover. I mean, it’s been a long time. And I just want everybody to know, man, y’all been sleeping on me. I’m about to wake everybody the f— up! So, tune in tomorrow night. Yes, sir, man. And tune in early because it’s gonna be a quick night.”
The 24-year-old Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) has continuously claimed that he’ll knock out his unbeaten Australian opponent in the first round. The Brooklyn-born Lopez produced the most vicious knockout of his career at the same venue where he’ll finally fight Kambosos – a one-punch, first-round demolition of Mason Menard that took all of 44 seconds in December 2018.
The 28-year-old Kambosos (19-0, 10 KOs) is convinced that this will be his coming-out party against the fantastic fighter most commonly considered the best within their division. Kambosos believes he has gotten into Lopez’s head and that he’ll make the typically composed Lopez fight recklessly and make mistakes.
Both boxers remained calm during a lengthy stare-down once they made weight. Once they were separated, however, Lopez unloaded on Kambosos and his team, who were standing nearby.
“F— him and all his team, man. I don’t care,” Lopez said. “At the end of the day, we’re going what we gotta do. You know what I’m saying? They could do whatever they want, but at the end of the day, they can’t defend him in that ring. You know what I’m saying? They can talk all they want. His father seen him go down in the amateurs, everything. So, it’s all about just staying focused, man. You know what I mean? And I look forward to tomorrow night, man. I got all my supporters here. The whole thing is just this – gangsters don’t talk, man. We move in silence.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.