Teofimo Lopez wants to stop comparing himself to others and stay in his lane

TEOFIMO LOPEZ is determined to bring back his love of boxing and not business starting with a meeting with Steve Claggett on Saturday.

The 26-year-old may have produced a limited edition of Teofimo bobbleheads that will sell for $250, but he insists that making money isn’t the be-all and end-all because it was his quest for fame that ignited his passion for. sports in the first place.

Lopez was a boxer who entered the hardware throughout his youth but his rise to the top was slowed due to a loss to George Kambosos Jr in 2021 and a number of personal problems outside the ring.

He also cleared the mess in the financial situation despite the many financial battles during his eight years as a professional and said Debate News that he still hasn’t received the necessary money.

On Saturday, he will face Claggett at the James L Knight Center in Miami Beach in a fight that may not be able to bank the kind of money he earned on the best night of his career. But that’s fine with Lopez doubling down on his efforts to add to an already impressive legacy.

“I don’t like that it’s a business,” he said Debate News. “When I was a child, my focus was on legacy, fame and the accolades that come with it.

“I get all those things but do I get a lot of money that these other soldiers get? It is not clear that there is a business side in mind that they have but they do not have the credentials that I have. It tries to combine that business concept with its positioning.

“I may not be getting the money I need in my life right now – but it’s not even a need, it’s a want. I try to compare myself to others but I just need to stay in my lane and be grateful for what I have because it is much better than most people in the world. And it’s so much better than what I wished for as a little kid. Boxing is a great way of life. It made me a champion.”

He is currently the WBO super-lightweight champion thanks to his victory in June over Josh Taylor. He made a successful but not easy defense against Jamaine Ortiz in February and is now back in action four months later.

He is currently one of four world champions in his weight class but, with no viable path towards a unification clash with anyone, Top Rank decided that Claggett was a viable contender for the tournament instead.

“I’m trying my best to be No.1 and do what I have to do,” added Lopez. “Work is the key.

“I just take my time. Everything comes to those who wait and work hard for it, That’s exactly what I’m doing this time. I’m the champion, I’m the king of this division and really when it comes down to it, I’m looking forward to seeing how much I can do and how much I can learn and grow in the game of boxing.”

Claggett, on the other hand, comes to Miami on a nine-fight winning streak. The Canadian has lost seven times in his career but last came back in May 2021. However, he has never fought more than 12 rounds and, although he has worked at welterweight a few times in his career, he has never mixed. and anyone who can punch like Lopez.

But Lopez credited deception at times against Ortiz and struggled to cut across the ring to find a way to really hurt the striker that night. Let’s not forget, following his 2022 split decision win over Sandor Martin, where he was dumped, Lopez famously asked ‘Do I still get it?’

Taylor’s victory in his next outing proved he still has it and Claggett will do well to make it the full 12-round distance here. Most likely Lopez will establish control of the fight in the first quarter, turn the screw in the second and close the show after that.

Then he can go back to hitting his bobbleheads.