Teofimo Lopez: Garcia, Haney, Tank Not On My Level Yet; They're Internet Famous, I'm Real-Life Famous

[Ruthless-RKO]

Lopez: Garcia, Haney, Tank Not On My Level Yet; They're Internet Famous, I'm Real-Life Famous

Teofimo Lopez is already looking past the leading lightweight competition.

The undefeated lineal champion insists greater career opportunities lie ahead than what come from fights to be made his best divisional peers. An upcoming mandatory title defense versus Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. (19-0, 10KOs) remains on deck, before exploring bigger challenges—literally.

“Right now, I’m staying at 135 for now just so I can see the winner of [Jose] Ramirez-[Josh] Taylor,” Lopez told ESPN’s Mark Kriegel while at MGM Grand Conference Center for a live show featuring old foe Richard Commey. “I’ll be out there going for the glory of becoming undisputed at 135 and 140.”

Brooklyn’s Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) refers to the yet-to-be-scheduled undisputed junior welterweight showdown between unbeaten, unified titlists Jose Ramirez (26-0, 17 KOs) and Josh Taylor (17-0, 13 KOs). The bout could take place as early as May, though remains in limbo as the hope is to have fans in attendance for such a significant championship fight.

The same goes for Lopez, who was once considering the idea of heading to Australia, where the ability to better control the coronavirus pandemic has permitted events with large crowds. Even the biggest fights in the United States have taken place with venues offering a hard capacity limit, rarely exceeding 25%.

For now, the matchup remains the subject of a forthcoming purse bid hearing scheduled for this Thursday.

Meanwhile, the road ahead could conceivably featuring the 23-year old Lopez squaring off with 22-year old WBC titlist Devin Haney (25-0, 15 KOs), 22-year old interim titlist Ryan Garcia (21-0, 1 8KOs) and 26-year old two-division title claimant Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (24-0, 23 KOs). That’s if he wants those fights, none of which seem to pique his interest at the moment.

“They’re famous on the internet. I’m real-life famous,” Lopez dismissed of García and Haney. “They got to get their weight up. They’re not my level yet. Devin Haney has fought half of his career in Mexico. He’s been fighting cab drivers.

“Tank Davis has been fighting 122, 126-pounders. Next. What’s next?”

Also mentioned was the possibility of a rematch with Vasiliy Lomachenko, whom Lopez outpointed in their WBA/IBF/WBO lightweight unification clash last October. Lopez walked away with universal recognition as the true lightweight champion, while Ukraine’s Lomachenko (14-2, 10KOs) offered sour grapes over the outcome.

“We went out there, we destroyed everybody,” insisted Lopez, whose first title win came in a 2nd round knockout of Commey in Dec. 2019. “We did what we had to do [versus Lomachenko]. Everybody talks about a rematch. No respect. They didn’t want to give a rematch clause. That’s on them.

“I’m not worried about the guys behind me. I’m worried about taking over.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Teo is getting a bit annoying now.

What's his plan? Fight Kambosos, then move up to 140?

The winner of Ramirez-Taylor will likely move up and fight Crawford.. Unless they stay for one fight, but they better make sure they win before moving up.

How is Tank 'internet famous'..

[Ruthless-RKO]

No one who doesn't follow boxing would recognise any of them.

[emallini]

A new generation of divas has spawned

[DrDuke]

Garcia and Haney - yes. Tank is more proven. However, Lopez is also getting overblown too (majorly by himself), cause his win over Lomachenko was very close in reality.

[gilgamesh]

If they're not on his level who is? They're the only guys to beat at Lightweight. If he's just gonna move up without fighting 'em that's whatever, but if he plans on being Lightweight Champion. They're his contenders.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Garcia and Haney - yes. Tank is more proven. However, Lopez is also getting overblown too (majorly by himself), cause his win over Lomachenko was very close in reality.

I think Loma lost that fight more than Teo won it.

[Perseus]

Lol @ Lopez.

That real life fame currently has him sitting on the sideline demanding more money but not getting it.

Internet fame got Garcia a Gatorade endorsement deal.
Garcia is or is going to be the money machine.

Enjoy that real life fame while watching Garcia on your TV pushing Gatorade and making money Teo.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Lol @ Lopez.

That real life fame currently has him sitting on the sideline demanding more money but not getting it.

Internet fame got Garcia a Gatorade endorsement deal.
Garcia is or is going to be the money machine.

Enjoy that real life fame while watching Garcia on your TV pushing Gatorade and making money Teo.

No one is paying Teo $10m.. he says he can leave TR, where’s he gonna go?

[DrDuke]

Garcia and Haney - yes. Tank is more proven. However, Lopez is also getting overblown too (majorly by himself), cause his win over Lomachenko was very close in reality.

I think Loma lost that fight more than Teo won it.

It looked pretty much like that.

[Perseus]

Lol @ Lopez.

That real life fame currently has him sitting on the sideline demanding more money but not getting it.

Internet fame got Garcia a Gatorade endorsement deal.
Garcia is or is going to be the money machine.

Enjoy that real life fame while watching Garcia on your TV pushing Gatorade and making money Teo.

No one is paying Teo $10m.. he says he can leave TR, where’s he gonna go?

He'll end up staying with TR, refusing to acknowledge his market value and whining about being "underpaid "

I'm still stuck on real life famous and internet famous.
So 40 years ago would real life famous be bigger than tv famous?
Is real life famous bigger than Hollywood famous?

Should I go to work declare myself real life famous and demand a raise?

[gregregegg]

He is not real life famous, He is boxing famous, has near zero fame outside of proper boxing fans, if he walks down the street dressed normal no one is paying attention.

[margaret thatcher]

the reality is that in the usa pretty much no current boxers, even world class boxers, are mainstream famous. prob pac man is still the most recongizable among active boxers

[Ruthless-RKO]

the reality is that in the usa pretty much no current boxers, even world class boxers, are mainstream famous. prob pac man is still the most recongizable among active boxers

Mike Tyson is STILL the most recognisable.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I still can’t believe Teo came out with ‘internet famous’ and ‘real-life famous’..

What a joke.

[margaret thatcher]

i kinda get what he means , at least what i think he means. there are random twerking ladies/dudes who do 3 second vids/ etc out there with millions and millions and millions and millions of tiktok, insta, etc followers etc, yet you never hear a word about them in your day to day life, on the tv, on the radio, in the news, in water cooler conversations etc. they are basically embedded in a social media world and not outside of it.

although tbh, like mentioned, even most top boxers are really only famous inside the boxing world and maybe their hometown depending on where it is, that's the case for teo too id imagine.

[Ruthless-RKO]

i kinda get what he means , at least what i think he means. there are random twerking ladies/dudes who do 3 second vids/ etc out there with millions and millions and millions and millions of tiktok, insta, etc followers etc, yet you never hear a word about them in your day to day life, on the tv, on the radio, in the news, in water cooler conversations etc. they are basically embedded in a social media world and not outside of it.

although tbh, like mentioned, even most top boxers are really only famous inside the boxing world and maybe their hometown depending on where it is, that's the case for teo too id imagine.

If that is the case, then Teo is not internet OR real life famous.

[jimcook]

lopez is heading for a big fall. he got lucky in fighting an undersized and probably injured fading champ. apart from his win against loma , he has fought and beaten almost no one of note, yet all of a sudden he thinks he's tyson,mayweatheretc. haney will school him, davis would probably ko him, and if he moves up to 140 to fight guys his own size....prograis will ko him, taylor will do a number on him also.

[Ruthless-RKO]

lopez is heading for a big fall. he got lucky in fighting an undersized and probably injured fading champ. apart from his win against loma , he has fought and beaten almost no one of note, yet all of a sudden he thinks he's tyson,mayweatheretc. haney will school him, davis would probably ko him, and if he moves up to 140 to fight guys his own size....prograis will ko him, taylor will do a number on him also.

He struggled with Nakatani as well. Size difference.

From the four, it's Haney who doesn't have any standout wins.

Garcia beat Campbell, better than anyone Haney has fought.

Tank has had a number of decent opponents. His best legit win is probably still Pedraza.

[coneye]

Its just a sign of the times , He had a close win over a big name , now thinks he's too big for anyone who will give him a close fight , and will want mega money to fight someone rated a lot lower , Sad thing is a promoter will pay it too him , instead of saying fight the close fight or we won't use you

[margaret thatcher]

ya, let's act like icing commey in 2 wasnt at all impressive either


btw the loma win wasnt all that close

[Cent0089]

Good to see boxing at it " best ". Lot of idiotic talks, no real fights

[jimcook]

ya, let's act like icing commey in 2 wasnt at all impressive either


btw the loma win wasnt all that close

what big name did commey ever beat? a fifty year old raymundo beltran? nevertheless it was a good knockout of commey ,but the guy has had 18 fights and he thinks hes a superstar. leon spinks beat an ageing and well past it ali....right place right time, got lucky, end of story. if lopez beats haney garcia davis then he starts getting respect, but at the moment hes just a one hit wonder

[squiggy]

His statements here are wrong on every level I can think of.

[Las Vegas boxing guy]

Teo seems to be becoming a very unlikeable character. I found his presence on the sidelines of the Comey fight last weekend to be both distracting and annoying.