In this week’s Fight Talk we look back at Teofimo Lopez’s stunning win over Vasyl Lomachenko to become undisputed lightweight champion and reflect on Lewis Ritson’s controversial win over Miguel Vazquez.
We also look at reports that heavyweight Deontay Wilder still wants a trilogy bout with Tyson Fury, while another American, Michael Hunter, throws his name into the mix for a world title shot by saying he’ll fight Briton Fury for free.
A king is born
Teofimo Lopez of the USA goes by the alias “The Takeover” – well, in the early hours of Sunday morning, the takeover was completed.
Lopez became a global superstar as he upset the odds to beat Ukraine’s Vasiliy Lomachenko at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
In doing so, the 23-year-old now holds all four major belts in the lightweight division.
Just four years ago at the Rio Olympics, a controversial judges’ decision left Lopez – who was representing Honduras – without a medal.
But after 16 professional fights, he has become the youngest undisputed world champion.
Boxing royalty, active fighters and athletes from other sports were full of praise…
While Lopez’s win may have come as a surprise to sports fans, his peers were not as shocked by the result.
Speaking earlier this year, Britain’s WBC heavyweight champion Fury predicted Lopez would get the better of Lomachenko.
Fury told IFL TV: “He’s a heavyweight on two tiny legs, with the speed and power.”
And former pound-for-pound star Floyd Mayweather also backed his compatriot – so much so that he pocketed $20,000 after placing a bet on Lopez to win.
Mayweather posted an image of his betting slip on social media, with the caption: “A light win.”
So what next for Lopez?
Having beaten a future hall-of-famer in Lomachenko, where does Lopez go from here?
A second bout with Lomachenko looks unlikely given there was no rematch clause before the fight.
But WBC ‘regular’ champion Devin Haney has called Lopez out for a 2021 contest…
Haney’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is also keen, as long as the 21-year-old American beats Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa in November…
And an all-American showdown with Ryan Garcia, 22, would also do big numbers, as long as Garcia comes through a tough bout against Briton Luke Campbell on 5 December…
More mega fight nights – and paydays – await Lopez but, for now, the champion deserves a bit of time to bask in his glory.
Boxing world reacts to controversial Ritson win
British fighter Lewis Ritson beat Mexico’s Miguel Vazquez in Peterborough on Saturday night. The record books will show a split-decision points win for Ritson – but that hardly tells the story.
The phrase “he/she was robbed” is often overused in boxing, but you’ll be hard stretched to find someone who didn’t think Vazquez won the fight…
And even Ritson’s promoter, Hearn, who wasn’t at the event having tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month, had the away fighter winning…
However, some involved in the sport were also quick to point out that Ritson cannot be blamed for the scoring and outcome…
Wilder will fight Fury ‘any time, any place’
We are still waiting to hear who Fury will face next.
The WBC heavyweight champion had said he is no longer taking on Wilder in a trilogy bout and will instead be “coming home” to fight in the UK in December.
Fury’s co-promoter, Bob Arum, had also said that Wilder’s rematch clause had expired.
Team Wilder have been pretty quiet since losing the belt to Fury in February. But this week, the former champion’s manager suggested Fury-Wilder III is not dead in the water.
“I spoke to Deontay [on Monday night]. All Deontay wants is to fight Fury. Any time, any place,” Shelly Finkel told The Athletic.
And this is what Hearn, who promotes Britain’s WBA, IBF and WBO champion Anthony Joshua, had to say on the matter…
If, as expected, the Wilder fight does not take place next, a host of other heavyweight contenders are being linked to Fury.
Hearn wants to see Hunter challenge for the world title and the American is keen.
“I’d fight Tyson Fury for free… but they will pick a softer, cheaper and easier option,” Hunter told PressBoxPR.
With less than two months until Fury’s scheduled bout, we shouldn’t be waiting too long for an opponent to be named.
And whoever that may be, here is a taster on they can expect when taking on 6ft 7in Fury…
