By Brian Webber: Devin Haney says Teofimo Lopez will get hurt when or if he faces WBC light welterweight champion Regis Prograis or former WBC/WBO champion Jose Ramirez.
(Photo credit: Naoki Fakuda)
Haney saw Teofimo’s last fight against Sandor Martin on December 10th, and like many boxing fans, he feels that Teo doesn’t look like the same fighter he once was.
Devin questions whether the former unified lightweight champion Teofimo (18-1, 13 KOs) was “ruined” by George Kambosos Jr in his loss to him last year or if his problems are “medically” related.
Whatever the case, Haney recommends that the 25-year-old Teofimo take some time off to get his mind right before he returns to the ring because he feels he will “get hurt” if he continues.
Recently, Teofimo said that he wants to face Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs) for his WBC title now that Jose Ramirez had chosen to reject his mandated shot.
With that said, Teofimo’s promoters at Top Rank will be the ones to make the call about whether he’ll go in the direction of a fight with Prograis or faces Ramirez or the Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall II rematch winner.
With Top Rank not working with Prograis’ promoters at Probellum, it’s unlikely they’ll steer Teofimo in that direction. Instead, they’ll match him against Ramirez or the Taylor-Catterall 2 winner.
Teofimo wants to get back in the ring soon, but he may have to wait if he’s intent on facing Ramirez or whoever emerges as the winner of Taylor’s rematch with Catterall. Top Rank would love to match Teofimo against Arnold Barboza Jr, but Teofimo doesn’t seem interested in that fight.
“He doesn’t look the same as he looked before. I don’t know if [George Kambosos ruined him or if something happened in the fight medically. Maybe that ruined him. I don’t know, but he doesn’t look like the same Teo,” said Devin Haney to Thaboxingvoice when asked if he saw Teofimo Lopez’s recent fight against Sandor Martin on December 10th on ESPN+.
“Everybody knows that’s just cap,” said Haney when told that Teofimo said that he knew the cameras were on him after the Martin fight when he asked, “Do I still got it?”
“He’s questioning himself. I think he needs to take some time away from the sport and really get his mind right and then come back,” Haney said about Teofimo.
“I feel like if he keeps on, he’s going to get hurt, especially against a guy like Regis [Prograis] or a guy like [Jose] Ramirez. Those are real punchers.
“Of course, I would love that fight,” Haney said when asked about him fighting Teofimo at 140. “It’s still a huge fight. It’s a big fight in boxing. People will still watch it.
“I don’t care how he is mentally, physically, whatever the case may be. If he signs the contract, that’s all that matters to me. I’ll exploit your weakness.
“I think he’ll be done at 140 after this fight, and I’ll probably go right after his belt after he leaves it,” said Haney about WBO light welterweight champion Josh Taylor facing Jack Catterall in a rematch.
“Every fighter is dry on the scales, I don’t care who it is,” said Haney about the critics saying he looked drained on the scales for his last fight against George Kambosos.
“I came in and made the weight. Some fighters don’t make the weight, and they talk about them. A fighter like me does everything to make the weight, and they still talk about me.
“What do you want me to do? Do you want me not to make the weight and say, ‘Oh, I couldn’t make the weight,’ and then y’all talk bad about me and say I’m not a true champion, or I make the weight and I look a little dry?
“I came in, and I hydrated up, and I put on one of my best performances [against Kambosos]. What can I say?” said Haney.