TEOFIMO Lopez could move up and fight WBO Interim welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr in his next contest. Lopez is the current WBO champion at super-lightweight and previously held the WBO, WBA and IBF titles at lightweight.
Moving up and defeating Norman Jr, 26-0 (20 KOs), would see him technically become a three-weight world champion. September in Madison Square Garden is being rumoured and a coy Lopez is liking these whispers.
“Listen, I believe that really sounds very swell,” grinned Lopez, while discussing the matter with ESPN’s Mark Kriegel. “Yes, Teofimo Lopez, three-divisional world champion at 27 years young. That sounds very great to me, and I’m all about that.”
Fresh from dominating challenger Steve Claggett in Florida (below), Teofimo has made no secret of his desire to fight four times this year. September would be an optimal time to hit number three, with the quartet being completed in December.
In order to put a dent in tough guy Norman Jr, who showed grit and determination outlasting Giovani Santillan in a bloody May brawl, Teo will need to have retained some of the one-shot punching power he displayed at 135, yet has so far lacked at 140. While the speed and athleticism remain, is that fight-turning power still there?
“I believe I still have the power. I’m still maturing as time goes, as far as power perceives. You know, it’s more so of IQ and EQ when you’re in that ring, and I think that’s really where I’m trying to progress myself to now,” Lopez explained, in a cryptic non-answer.
With Subriel Matias surprisingly losing to Liam Paro, Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz was being linked to Lopez in a 140-pound rumble. That would be an intriguing matchup if Top Rank were able to reach over the molten lava and break bread with the PBC. A move seven pounds north would render the idea null and void anyway.
“147 is something that I plan on moving towards. Probably even this next upcoming match,” cautioned Teofimo Lopez.