Teofimo Lopez says he might consider using his WBO ‘Super Champion’ status at light welterweight to petition the sanctioning body to secure a mandatory title shot against WBO 147-lb champion Terence Crawford.
Teofimo is confident the WBO would allow him to skip to the front of the line to challenge Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) for his 147-lb title next. If the Top Rank-promoted Teo gets his way, he will force Crawford to face him.
Blatant Cash Grab
However, we don’t know if the WBO would give Teofimo the mandatory slot at 147 or not, but even if they do, it’s questionable whether Crawford will agree to take the fight, considering he’s in the running for a fight against Canelo Alvarez at 168 for May 4th.
Boxing fans believe Teofimo just wants the cash-out payday against Crawford, knowing he’ll make a lot of money for that fight, and he’ll have a good excuse to tell people why he lost. He’ll blame it on moving up in weight to 147 and facing the best. The fans see it as a money grab for Teofimo.
Fighting Crawford at welterweight will afford Teofimo a ready-made excuse to give to his fans to explain away his defeat. He could then return to the 140-lb division, licking his wounded pride, with his bank account stuffed with millions, and continue to defend his WBO light welterweight title against fringe contenders.
Teofimo Throws Shade
“Crawford is a human just like me; we bleed the same. He’s just uglier. He even fights ugly. We’re going to have to call that out when it happens,” said Teofimo Lopez to Punsh Drunk Boxing about his hopes of fighting WBA/WBC/WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford.
“You just gave me a good idea. I should. I’m sure [WBO president] Paco [Valcarcel] would like to do that,” said Teofimo when asked if he should use his WBO ‘Super Champion’ status at 140 to be installed as Terence Crawford’s WBO mandatory at 147.
“I never petitioned in my life.
Crawford has previously dismissed the idea of defending his welterweight titles against Teofimo (20-1, 13 KOs), who feels he is just using his name for “clout” to get cheap publicity without wanting to face him for real.
After Teofimo’s recent controversial decision against Jamaine Ortiz last Thursday night in Las Vegas, Crawford ridiculed him on X.
