NEW YORK, NY — Two-division boxing champion Teofimo Lopez was a live guest this past Thursday evening on my weekly Keep It In The Ring YouTube broadcast with co-host Thomas Dillemith. Catch the entire segment on my YouTube channel: Rich Mancuso. Like, Comment, and Subscribe.
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There is another side of Teofimo Lopez outside the ring where his talents led him from a youngster to a two-time champion. Many said he stole the show in early May with a title defense and win over Arnold Barboza Jr. at Times Square in New York City for his WBO super lightweight title.
He is a proponent of the Muhammad Ali Act that protects fighters like himself for safety measures and other protocols that have made strides over the years. Turki Al-Sheikh, Dana White and their new league at TKO are proponents to go in a different direction and received support from the California State Athletic Commission that is difficult to comprehend.
To many, Lopez is a showman, old school in many ways. He has charisma as fighters often display, though Lopez takes on the persona of Hall of Fame heavyweight champions Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. He says there is much more to accomplish at 28-years-old while continuing to build a legacy.
In the discussion for top-pound-for-pound fighter, Lopez belongs there however the emphasis of late is with his next opponent the current WBC champion Shakur Stevenson, both mentioned in what would be a mega-fight of two superstars that may possibly be held in New York City during January of the new year.
But there are so many specifics that continue to be ongoing for a fight of that magnitude to take place including purse bids, weight, and a venue. Lopez has already made boxing history as a unified lightweight champion and now fights at junior welterweight. It’s part of achieving fame at a young age and dealing with the boxing politics of sanctioning organizations, promoters, and appeasing the fans.
He is outspoken, at times that is a good thing but in boxing a choice of words can cause some chaos because that has always been a part of the game. Ali was outspoken, so was Tyson and many of the current fighters on top of the charts.
The outspoken Teofimo Lopez has caused some chaos in the boxing world in and out of the ring throughout his nine-year pro career, debuting in 2016 – Image Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing
Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) sustained his lone loss via split decision to George Kambosos Jr. and was dethroned of the lightweight title that still stings. He has also been in the discussion of meeting Devin Haney, the WBC junior welterweight champion in recess.
Haney and Lopez, another mega fight that warrants more specifics. Even recently un-retired eight-division champion and Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao has come in the picture as a rumored and next opponent.
Though in the end, it’s in the hands of a team and handlers including his dad, Teofimo Lopez Sr., his trainer and confidant since those first days he walked in a boxing gym. In the hands of a manager, and Al-Sheikh (Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority) who has changed the complexion of boxing with a Ring championship title, money that lures in promoters and top fighters of mega stardom.
Teofimo Lopez, Terence Crawford, Turki Al-Sheikh, and David Benavidez posing for a photo back in February of 2025 – Image Credit: Ring Magazine
“My team is pretty much setting everything contractual,” Lopez said about opposing Stevenson. “People should be tuned in sometime soon. A lot is going on at the moment, especially a magnitude fight like this. Fans would love the fight to be hosted in New York. It’s up to the people in Saudi, could be in Vegas, somewhere in Texas.”
He said the fight is promising, meaning it will eventually come to fruition once agreements are in place. Lopez looks to appease the fans, Nicquarian heritage and a longtime New Yorker from Brooklyn, a Cops & Kids Boxing program staple and one who is always giving back to the kids.
He says about an anticipated fight with Stevenson, “For the fans, I’d love it to be here (NY), historic night when I give Shakur Stevenson his first loss. People want to see me in the ring now rather than next year.”
Teofimo Lopez takes pride in representing his family roots each time he steps into the ring – Image Credit: DAZN
Then again, it’s all about a sport that thrives on specifics. Lopez comes from an old school theory that once witnessed fighters and champions competing more than three times a year, except this is a different era. Lopez would prefer another title defense before the new year. He wants to appease the fans and fight more often, boxing politics today causes a disruption, a hiatus, and won’t allow it to happen.
“Regardless, a lot of people say I haven’t fought more than once a year,” he says. “Thats not the case, three times in ten months. Just the inactivity they see and what they want to believe. Great fighters fight twice a year. This stature when it comes to these promoters, managers, coaches it makes it difficult for everybody.”
It’s that change about boxing. It’s a different era from those days before Ali, Hagler, Hearns, Leonard, and Roberto Durán, another Hall of Fame champion that Lopez continues to admire. The showcasing is part of his persona, it’s promoting and regardless of the controversy, it sold tickets back then and no different today.
Teofimo Lopez sharing a moment with Panamanian boxing legend Roberto Durán – Image Credit: Ring Magazine
The Barboza Jr. win was the lone fight this year, two in 2024 and quest to “Takeover” another division at 140 with 12-round unanimous division wins over Steve Claggett and Jamaine Ortiz. The win against Barboza Jr. stole the show in an otherwise dull event that was closed to the public and included superstars Ryan Garcia, Haney, and Rolly Romero.
In between the inactivity, Lopez is busy, stays sharp in the gym, attends championship fights and flirting with a possible post fight career as an analyst on commentary. Last week at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Lopez was part of the Millions PPV broadcast team for Danny Garcia’s “Swift Promotions” Farewell to Brooklyn, a 14-fight card.
“I’m grateful to be in position,” he says. “I’m trying to get these other fights involved, it’s hard especially in this division. Guys who come up in weight or I have to come up. Bothers me the new strategy in this business to make money. I’m willing to defend my titles. Takes a little longer. People have to realize this eight figures for each fighter. Deals people wish they can have in their lifetime.”
Teofimo Lopez was an analyst on the Millions PPV broadcast team for Danny Garcia’s Farewell To Brooklyn earlier this month – Image Credit: @TeofimoLopez on Instagram
Lopez is still contracted with his original promoters at Top Rank Boxing, though they no longer have control and in his next two fights they will collect some of his purse. He holds no grudges, though he said it was time to move on and continue his own legacy.
He is looking at the future, this after Teofimo Lopez hangs up the gloves and gives advice to younger fighters though still in his prime.
“Bigger issue for the younger fighters coming to the pros now, they seem a lot harder and it’s not a good look,” he says. “Come together as a community. You think the pride of Ali and those around it like Mike Tyson. Honor all what they done for us, paved the way. We risk our life, we sign up for it. We do it for the entertainment for everybody out there.”
He says, “Educate the fighters. Interviews not having them look like rappers, having them look more of a role model. In the 40’s and 50’s, they were well suited very charismatic for the people. Stop allowing managers and promoters get personel with these fighters.”
Along with making a statement consistently in the ring, Teofimo Lopez has done the same with his fashion out of it – Image Credit: Ring Magazine
“You figure what character you want to be, that’s what you get with Teofimo. I tell young people be better than me. Be undisputed, purpose of evolution be better, quicker, and nicer. This game is tricky.”
The mentality is always to bounce back, Lopez accomplished that after losing to Kambosos and won another title. He says “It’s your bread and butter, gotta go out and make your legacy for your name. No one is going to remember you quit.”
Lopez vows to continue defeating top pound-for-pound fighters if the nature of this business allows him. Defeating Stevenson is a quest and if Haney comes to the table at a contracted weight, not 147, perhaps that’s on the docket at some point.
“I don’t need to continue this narrative to please people,” he says. “Everybody turned their back on me after the Kambosos loss. After the last performance, why do I have to stoop down to your performance? A throne is a throne. Done so much in so little but they can’t duplicate it. I don’t need to continue this narrative to please people. Everybody turned their back on me after Kambosos loss, even claiming title at 140.”
He says, “What’s a better fight than me and Shakur? Devin didn’t have nothing at 147 why give up my Ring title and then my WBO world title just for the name and popularity. I’m not in there for popularity to become the best in your weight class, that’s my mentality brought up in boxing.
But Lopez unified the lightweight titles and dethroned Vasyl Lomachenko during the COVID period of October 2020 in an empty bubble at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He has accomplished stardom, earned major revenue from fight purses and revenue stream that comes from PPV and endorsements.
It’s a persona of this era and at times, media types can’t understand that could be his worst enemy. Regardless, Lopez does his best to portray boxing at his best and in the ring the record is proof of where he stands.
More of the entire YouTube segment on my channel
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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