By Dan Ambrose: Trainer Teofimo Lopez Sr. is still in the damage control mode, trying to explain why Teo lost his last fight against George Kambosos Jr. last November.
Instead of focusing on Teofimo’s next opponent Pedro Campa for their headliner this Saturday on ESPN, Lopez Sr. is still trying to convince the doubters that his son was badly injured in his loss to Kambosos.
Teofimo Sr says Teo fought with a broken elbow and a tear in his esophagus for the Kambosos fight.
Fans would be a little more forgiving of former unified lightweight champion Teofimo (16-1, 12 KOs) if he’s stayed at 135 long enough to try and avenge the loss.
“What happened in the last fight, these idiots don’t understand and didn’t hear the doctor say that he had a condition. He should have been in the ICU instead of being in the ring,” said Teofimo Lopez Sr to Fighthub TV about Teo’s loss to George Kambosos Jr.
“If you don’t understand that, you’re a hater; you’re dumb, retarded, or whatever it is. He [Teofimo] had an issue where he could have died in that fight. He had an issue where he shouldn’t have been even one round fighting.
“Even the doctor said he should have been in ICU instead of being in that fight. So how am I supposed to help my son if my son can’t breathe and when my son has two holes in his body?
“I’m sick & tired of this, and that’s why we’re moving up to 140 to show the whole world when my son is comfortable at a weight. We had him nine years at 135.
“That’s almost remarkable. I want you to name me one fighter that has done that. Stay at one division for nine years and not be hurt. We hurt him. You know why. With all these postponements with Kambosos at 135 was really killing him.
“He dehydrated, he drained himself, and thank god we still have him alive to entertain the crowd. We almost lost him. He was five days in the ICU. He wasn’t recovering because his oxygen levels weren’t coming up.
“People don’t see. ‘Ah man, he’s making excuses.’ He had a broken elbow in that fight. We didn’t say nothing about that because everybody is always hurt when they fight,” said Teofimo Sr.
