Former champion outlines welterweight plans and names Ryan Garcia, Conor Benn as targets in new division
Teofimo Lopez has confirmed he will move up to welterweight and pursue a title shot at 147 pounds. He also named Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn as potential opponents during his first phase in the division.
“I’m going to 147, The weight class is going to welcome me very good,” said Teofimo to Ring Magazine. “There’s been talks for sure, maybe in the summer,” said Teofimo about a fight with Ryan. “He’s coming down to 147. If the opportunity is there, we’ll make it happen,” said Teofimo about Conor Benn.
Ryan has already mentioned July 25 as a target date. For Teo, that’s the high-reward fight that justifies the move.
From a competitive standpoint, Ryan Garcia is essentially offering a lifeline to a guy who just got shut out. Teofimo’s performance against Shakur Stevenson on January 31st was brutal to watch, losing 119-109 on all three cards at the Garden doesn’t exactly scream mandatory challenger.
It’s looking more and more like Teofimo is being left in the dust while Ryan targets Conor Benn.
Ryan’s recent social media activity, calling for the Conor Benn fight and predicting a mid-round stoppage, makes it pretty clear where his head is at.
If Garcia fights Teo now, he’s fighting a guy who has looked shaky for years and just got shut out in his own backyard. It’s a fight that could be a disaster on PPV because many of the casual fans have lost faith in the “Takeover.”
Even though Benn looked vulnerable against Prograis, he’s still coming off a win and has the UK market behind him. For Ryan, Benn represents a “fresh big-money fight, whereas Teo feels like a retread of a story that’s already ended.
If Turki Alalshikh isn’t willing to subsidize a Ryan-Teofimo legacy fight, Teo is in a tough spot. He’s essentially a 147-pounder without a home and without a win in his new division.
Ryan Garcia is looking for the biggest spectacle possible, and right now, a villain vs. villain build with Conor Benn is significantly more lucrative than a lifeline fight for Teofimo.