By Craig Daly: Promoter Eddie Hearn opines that Teofimo Lopez has regressed as a fighter since his victory over Vasyl Lomachenko in October 2020.
(Photo credit: Sumio Yamada)
Hearn says the “fear factor” is gone from fighters being hesitant in fighting the former unified lightweight champion Teofimo (18-1, 13 KOs) because physically, he’s not the same fighter he was after his wins over Lomachenko and Richard Commey.
The decision by Top Rank to use Sandor Martin (40-3, 13 KOs) as the replacement opponent for Teofimo to fight last Saturday night was an example of “poor matchmaking,” according to Hearn.
Although Hearn isn’t saying who he would have preferred Top Rank bring in for Teofimo to fight after Jose Pedraza pulled out of the fight, it’s clear that he thinks Sandor was the wrong guy.
The problem is that Teofimo is mentally fragile right now, and Sandor is the type of clever that requires self-confidence and a high boxing IQ to beat. Right now, Teofimo is lacking in both of those areas.
“If you start doubting yourself in any form of life, it’s a problem, but if you start doubting yourself in boxing, it’s a big problem,” said Eddie Hearn to the DAZN Boxing Show when asked to comment on Teofimo Lopez saying, “Do I still got it?” after his controversial win over Sandor Martin last Saturday night.
“It’s poor match-making from Top Rank, but you’ve got to be able to beat all styles, and it was a late replacement. Sandor Martin is not a good guy to fight when your confidence is in trouble, and it’s unquestionable that Teofimo’s confidence is in trouble.
“Coming off the back of the Kambosos fight that I don’t think he was 100% for. I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but he’s got to get a new team of people around him. I like his dad, but I don’t think it works.
“You’ve got a strange setup between two guys. He’s not delusional because he’s an excellent fighter, but you’ve got to get him in a proper training camp with proper trainers,” said Hearn about Teofimo.
“People close to the team might find that disrespectful. ‘What does he know?’ I’m just telling you from what I see. I just don’t think that’s working. I can’t see him [Teofimo] beating any of the top guys at 140 lbs right now.
“Regis Prograis would do a number on him right now and Josh Taylor. He’s a fantastic fighter, but he is showing mental frailties, and that was a good example. I will say that Sandor Martin is the kind of guy and the kind of style that would make you doubt yourself.
“He did beat Mikey Garcia,” said Hearn about Martin. “A lot of people thought he beat Teofimo. I’m sure he’ll be back, but it doesn’t look like he’s firing on all cylinders.
“From my point of view, from what I saw in the Kambosos fight, from what I saw in that fight, he appears to be going backward right now,” said Hearn about Teofimo.
“The guy that beat Lomachenko, who was a ferocious, fearless fighter who was full of confidence. Look at the way he destroyed Richard Commey. Maybe he’s not punching with the same authority or confidence. Maybe that as well,” said Hearn when told that Regis Prograis feels that his power and size aren’t good enough for him to beat the top guys at 140.
“Physically, he doesn’t look that big and strong at 140,” said Hearn about Teofimo lacking the size for the light welterweight division. “You hear a lot of rumors about his lifestyle.
“When he beat Commey, there’s a lot to say about the fear that you put in an opponent, and I don’t think there’s any fear factor in fighting Teofimo Lopez at the moment.
“There certainly was off the back of Commey and after the Lomachenko win, but not right now,” said Hearn.