Teofimo Lopez: “Pedro Campa is the start of a new chapter in my career”

By Dan Ambrose: Former unified lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez says he’s ready to become the undisputed 140-lb champion this month when he faces journeyman Pedro Campa on August 13th at the Resorts World Las Vegas, Las Vegas.

Teofimo (16-1, 12 KOs) lost his last fight to little-known George Kambosos Jr in November, and he blames the defeat on the pressure on his shoulders.

It’s vital that Teofimo shine against Campa (34-1-1, 23 KOs) and win in a manner that shows that he’s capable of moving on to capture all four titles in the weight class.

Right now, many boxing fans believe that Teofimo is too mentally weak to capture any belts at 140, let alone become the undisputed champion.

“I am only 25 years old. My best years are in front of me,” said Teofimo Lopez to Top Rank Boxing. “Pedro Campa is the start of a new chapter in my career.

“I will be a two-weight world champion very soon. Every contender and champion at junior welterweight better watch out because I am coming to clean out the division.

“I am going to be an even better, more explosive fighter. You will see that on August 13.

“Every person goes through challenges. I am calling this fight the ‘Take Back’ because I am coming to regain what I’ve lost. One defeat does not define a fighter, and it won’t define me,” said Teofimo.

“I’m just excited for this new chapter at 140,” said Teofimo to Max on Boxing on ESPN. “That fight [George Kambosos Jr], the amount of pressure that athletes go through during the course of our career. I think as a fighter, I can’t let the fans down.

“I’m blessed to be not dead. I’m just looking forward to 140, taking over that division just like I took over 135, beating the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world at that time, Vasyl Lomachenko.

“It was a lot of things,” said Teofimo on why he stuck it out to fight Kambosos despite being injured. “The amount of postponements they had for more fight. I think they had six or eight postponements during that time against a fighter that was basically dictating my career in a sense,” said Teofimo about Kambosos.