Teofimo Lopez, the next big name or another hype-job ?

[oogiebe]

This kid is no hype. It's rare I get excited about a fighter of his age. His amateur background is very evident as he's well on his way to great things.

I wouldnt call him hyped, but neither do I believe he is as good as he claims to be just yet. He honestly thinks he can beat Loma 3 or 4 different ways right now but I really think that is youthful arrogance. Teo has great speed and power but let's see how he does against a legit top 10 fighter before he goes against Lomachenko. Even though Lopez has almost as many pro fights as Loma, the Ukrainian has fought MUCH better opposition so far.

And while his amateur background is good, it pales in comparison to Loma, who was something like 396-1 as an amateur with OG gold medals & WC as well. Teo on the other hand lost his last 2 amateur bouts, the final of the 2016 Olympic Americas Qualifier Tourney to a Venezuelan and his very first Olympic prelim bout to the eventual silver medalist from France.

IMO Lopez needs at least 3-4 more fights against world-class competition before making a serious challenge to Lomachenko and 2-3 more before taking on Gervonte Davis. I believe Arum is smart enough to make sure he doesnt jump into those megafights too quickly.

I never compared him to Loma. That would be premature.

[Best Coast]

This kid is no hype. It's rare I get excited about a fighter of his age. His amateur background is very evident as he's well on his way to great things.

I wouldnt call him hyped, but neither do I believe he is as good as he claims to be just yet. He honestly thinks he can beat Loma 3 or 4 different ways right now but I really think that is youthful arrogance. Teo has great speed and power but let's see how he does against a legit top 10 fighter before he goes against Lomachenko. Even though Lopez has almost as many pro fights as Loma, the Ukrainian has fought MUCH better opposition so far.

And while his amateur background is good, it pales in comparison to Loma, who was something like 396-1 as an amateur with OG gold medals & WC as well. Teo on the other hand lost his last 2 amateur bouts, the final of the 2016 Olympic Americas Qualifier Tourney to a Venezuelan and his very first Olympic prelim bout to the eventual silver medalist from France.

IMO Lopez needs at least 3-4 more fights against world-class competition before making a serious challenge to Lomachenko and 2-3 more before taking on Gervonte Davis. I believe Arum is smart enough to make sure he doesnt jump into those megafights too quickly.

I never compared him to Loma. That would be premature.

Not saying you did amigo. I'm talking about HIS arrogance, not your excitement about his achievements so far. Lopez not only compared himself to Loma, but claims he has 3-4 different ways to beat Loma right now!!

That's the kind of cockiness that has derailed many athletes long before Teo came along and it often signals mental weakness more than mental toughness. Only time will tell which of us gets it right on this guy but I'll be a lot more impressed when he beats guys tougher than Mason Menard and Diego Magdaleno. He's still basically a rookie so that is why I'm "tapping the brakes" on my projection for Teo's future. I have no doubt he will eventually win a world title and could even be the first 2016 Olympian to do so, but how far he can go beyond that we will just have to see.

[IKSRTFO]

We will never know until it happens.

I own a KO Boxing magazine dated from 2007. It has a section where it predicts who will be the best of tomorrow of each weight class:

Heavyweight: Bowie Tupou
Cruiserweight Chad Dawson
Light Heavy Andy Lee
Super Middle Yuri Foreman
Middleweight Paul Williams
Junior Middle Lamont Peterson
Welterweight Demetrius Hopkins
Junior Welter Amir Khan
Lightweight Elio Rojas
Junior Lightweight John Murray
Featherweight Juan Manuel Lopez
Junior Feather Rey Bautista
Bantamweight Raul Martniez
Junior Bantam Nonito Donaire
Flyweight Giovanni Sergura
Junior Flyweight Austreberto Juarez
Straweight Eagle Kyowa


Moral of the Story, in the words of Morpheus, "We can't say for sure because we honestly don't know."

[SenorPipino]

He's for real talentwise.

But you have to see what Lopez is made up of on the inside before anointing him the chosen one.

Intangibles like mental toughness and heart won't be revealed until he squares off with someone who can test him.

[ValMar]

We will never know until it happens.

I own a KO Boxing magazine dated from 2007. It has a section where it predicts who will be the best of tomorrow of each weight class:

Heavyweight: Bowie Tupou
Cruiserweight Chad Dawson
Light Heavy Andy Lee
Super Middle Yuri Foreman
Middleweight Paul Williams
Junior Middle Lamont Peterson
Welterweight Demetrius Hopkins
Junior Welter Amir Khan
Lightweight Elio Rojas
Junior Lightweight John Murray
Featherweight Juan Manuel Lopez
Junior Feather Rey Bautista
Bantamweight Raul Martniez
Junior Bantam Nonito Donaire
Flyweight Giovanni Sergura
Junior Flyweight Austreberto Juarez
Straweight Eagle Kyowa


Moral of the Story, in the words of Morpheus, "We can't say for sure because we honestly don't know."

I suppose "the best experts " had made this list. What a shait ! I can not believe.

[caldo2025]

Attitude is everything in this sport. Everyone has talent and most have the ability to put the lights out with these gloves. It all comes down to those special fighters that refuse to lose. Is this kid one of them? So far, I really think he is. Tons of athletism, speed and power and he’s got that edge like all the great ones had where they can’t stand losing any exchange much less rounds. He’s going to be a world champ. No doubt. Will he be a box office bonanza. My guess is yes. The networks attention is already humming over this kid. That’s gonna help immensely. I see him continuing to win and when Crawford, Thurman and Spence are nearing 40, he will be the one pushing them for a payday.

[Onetimeonly]

We will never know until it happens.

I own a KO Boxing magazine dated from 2007. It has a section where it predicts who will be the best of tomorrow of each weight class:

Heavyweight: Bowie Tupou
Cruiserweight Chad Dawson
Light Heavy Andy Lee
Super Middle Yuri Foreman
Middleweight Paul Williams
Junior Middle Lamont Peterson
Welterweight Demetrius Hopkins
Junior Welter Amir Khan
Lightweight Elio Rojas
Junior Lightweight John Murray
Featherweight Juan Manuel Lopez
Junior Feather Rey Bautista
Bantamweight Raul Martniez
Junior Bantam Nonito Donaire
Flyweight Giovanni Sergura
Junior Flyweight Austreberto Juarez
Straweight Eagle Kyowa


Moral of the Story, in the words of Morpheus, "We can't say for sure because we honestly don't know."

I suppose "the best experts " had made this list. What a shait ! I can not believe.

Make one now for 10 years later. Granted that isn't perfection, but they're all at least known. At least 5 or 6 of them had support for #1 in a division, if not the popular vote.

[NateJR]

I've watched a couple of his fights. He's definitely a very good fighter, has some nice skills, good speed and power but I don't think he's as good as he believes he is. I could see him coming unglued when he starts fighting better opponents. Time will tell though because he is young and could improve, but right now I don't like his chances against Loma.

[oogiebe]

I've watched a couple of his fights. He's definitely a very good fighter, has some nice skills, good speed and power but I don't think he's as good as he believes he is. I could see him coming unglued when he starts fighting better opponents. Time will tell though because he is young and could improve, but right now I don't like his chances against Loma.

He seems a gifted fighter. He needs further development and more in-ring experience, just like other prospects. His ceiling appears to be very very high.

[goose 5]

Panchito Bojado keeps coming to mind when I watch Lopez.

[SenorPipino]

Lopez is putting a lot of pressure on himself calling out Lomachenko and claiming he knows 3 or 4 ways to best him.

Reminds me of another braggart hotshot from some years back Panchito Bojada.

In the end he talked a much better game than he could deliver.

[SenorPipino]

Panchito Bojado keeps coming to mind when I watch Lopez.

.


Just saw your comment seconds after I posted. I guess the similarity between the 2 fighter must stand out as pretty strong....at least in terms of attitude.

[Onetimeonly]

One obvious difference is bojado wasn't even hyped to have this kind of one shot fight changing power.

[oogiebe]

One obvious difference is bojado wasn't even hyped to have this kind of one shot fight changing power.

He (Bojado) did ko 9 straight tomato cans before being beaten by Rubio, so maybe that's where the comparison ends as Lopez has fought better opposition.

[SenorPipino]

One obvious difference is bojado wasn't even hyped to have this kind of one shot fight changing power.

He (Bojado) did ko 9 straight tomato cans before being beaten by Rubio, so maybe that's where the comparison ends as Lopez has fought better opposition.

Cocky, heavily hyped and successful are the similarities. At least in the early portion of Bojado's career.

But Bojada always proclaimed that he hated to train and avoided roadwork.

I'm uncertain about Lopez' attitude toward training.

[goose 5]

I like Lopez more than Ryan Garcia but that's not saying much at all. I hope i'm wrong about Lopez.It would be great to have a new star in boxing.

[Onetimeonly]

One obvious difference is bojado wasn't even hyped to have this kind of one shot fight changing power.

He (Bojado) did ko 9 straight tomato cans before being beaten by Rubio, so maybe that's where the comparison ends as Lopez has fought better opposition.

He didn't ko them like Lopez has.

[oogiebe]

One obvious difference is bojado wasn't even hyped to have this kind of one shot fight changing power.

He (Bojado) did ko 9 straight tomato cans before being beaten by Rubio, so maybe that's where the comparison ends as Lopez has fought better opposition.

He didn't ko them like Lopez has.

Clearly.

[gilgamesh]

He's a good fighter, the way he smashed Diego Magdaleno shows he's definitely a dangerous guy. Magdaleno is no world beater, but he's not a pushover either, and Lopez ran through him with ease so he's obviously pretty good if nothing else. He'll be a legit contender at worst I'd figure.