Teofimo Lopez says he wants to fight Ryan Garcia in September or December, potentially at a catchweight above 140 if need be.
Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) states that he already talked to Top Rank about wanting to fight Ryan, and he wants that fight to happen. Teofimo is sounding really needy right now, with his stardom evaporated to the point where he’s just another invisible belt holder.
Lopez’s Recent Struggles
Unfortunately for Teofimo, he’s NOT on the superstar Ryan Garcia’s radar. He’s looking for popular fighters to face where he can make big money, and he’s not going to get that by fighting Teofimo and having to deal with judging issues.
Teofimo’s stock has plummeted from his two controversial decisions over Jamaine Ortiz and Sandor Martin in the last two years, along with his embarrassing loss to George Kambosos Jr.
The popularity that Teofimo, 26, once had evaporated after those three fights, and he’s not in the position any longer to get the big fights against guys like Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, or any of the big stars.
It’s unlikely they will want anything to do with fighting the needy Teofimo and wind up getting shafted by the judges, like how Sandor and Jamaine Ortiz were.
A Plea To Ryan Garcia
Teofimo was recently expected to defend his WBO title against 34-year-old fringe contender Steve Claggett. It’s unclear what happened with that fight, but it could be that the negative press he was receiving from boxing fans and the media made him change his mind about taking it.
“I talked to Top Rank about how I wanted this to be planned out. We said something to Ryan [Garcia] and his team that we can do something in September or December,” said Teofimo Lopez to the Punsh Drunk YouTube channel about wanting to fight Ryan Garcia.
“It doesn’t have to be at my weight class [140]. It can be a catchweight. So that way we don’t have to have any problems moving forward,” Teofimo continued about his hopes for a fight against Ryan Garcia.
Teofimo needs to rebuild his credibility by maybe moving up to 147 and taking on Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. He needs a huge win to turn things around in his career, and the only guy who would be willing to fight him and deal with the judges is likely Boots Ennis.
Teo is not likely to get a fight against any of the notable 140-pounders due to his stock dropping off after his fights against Jamaine Ortiz, Sandor Martin, Pedro Campa, and George Kamboso.
Also, the controversial scoring in Teofimo’s fights, where he’s being given wins, is going to scare off the top guys, who want to receive similar treatment.
