Teofimo Lopez: New and improved, what's changed ahead of The Ring 6? (DAZN News Exclusive)

At heart, boxers like to put on a show. They want all eyes on them and rightfully so, as the pugilists are the ones risking it all inside the ring. 

On top of that list is Teofimo Lopez, who returns on Saturday night when he puts his Ring Magazine and WBO super lightweight titles at stake against WBC lightweight titlist Shakur Stevenson in the main event of the Ring 6, from a sold-out Madison Square Garden live and exclusively on DAZN PPV.

We've seen the dancing and backflips in the ring, the trash talk against Vasiliy Lomachenko ahead of their October 2020 fight by saying he was going to "take over" the lightweight division and get rid of Lomachenko, who he deemed "arrogant," and doing anything and everything to get his opponent's skin. 

Lopez has even gone to the point where he "retired" for a short spell after beating Josh Taylor in 2023, claiming he was tired of the politics of the sport and wanted to tend to personal issues. 

Buy now here: Ring 6 - Lopez vs. Stevenson PPV for $69.99 / £24.99 or get a two PPV bundle for 20% off 

But in the buildup to this Saturday's megafight, it had been a cordial and respectful Lopez. Before talking with Lopez last Wednesday, this writer expected Lopez to flip the switch, per se, and revert to the person whose over-the-top personality made him the superstar he is today. 

What I got was unexpected, as right out of the gate, Lopez burped. Immediately, he laughed and then apologized profusely. 

"I forget what country it is, but you could burp in one certain country, and it's actually saying thank you," Lopez told DAZN News.

Genuinely intrigued by this, Lopez casually says, 'You know what? Let's look it up. That's why we have the internet, right?"

So Lopez starts scrolling through his phone, and after a few moments, we get the long-awaited answer.

"Oh wow. So in some cultures, particularly in parts of China, Taiwan, Turkey, Egypt, and some Middle Eastern countries, burping after a meal can be a sign of appreciation and a compliment to the host," Lopez said. "So I just complimented you."

Big fight weeks typically see Lopez getting under his opponent's skin and/or vice versa. Listening to Lopez's tone, you could hear and see a different person than what the boxing world is accustomed to. Why the change?

"I'd say all the trials, tribulations, all the mistakes and stuff I've done in my career," Lopes admits. "I think that it leads up to this point. Plus, I have a vision, I have a goal set in mind. So I have to be a good sport. I have to just be a good guy, a good person overall. So don't cause any controversy to delay my process of what I have in store for the second half of this year."

The 28-year-old has a four-year-old son. More often than not, being a parent changes your perspective on how one carries themselves. What you did 10 years ago in a situation isn't going to be the same if the same position arises again. That rule of thumb applies 100 percent to Lopez. 

"(Having) patience," Lopez said. "And honestly, I think that that's also another thing, too, that has to be added on to it from your previous question and to my answer is that, yeah, I guess I'm more calm because of that. My son is watching, he's tuning in, and for that, I got to show an example. Got to show a better example as a young individual and as a young man. If I'm acting chaotic and crazy in this, they're not going to know the difference and think that it's ok to do that."

With a fresh and clear perspective on his life inside and outside the ring, perhaps we get the best version of Lopez on Saturday inside the "World's Most Famous Arena" and "The Mecca of Boxing."

Get Ring 6 PPV included with DAZN Ultimate Tier for major savings

DAZN's Ultimate Tier subscription package includes a minimum of 12 PPVs a year, on top of the regular 185 fight nights offering.

Therefore, signing up to DAZN Ultimate Tier would include Ring 6: Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson PPV, and the Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Garcia PPV on February 21. This means you would not need to purchase these PPVs individually at an extra cost. 

Better still, more DAZN PPV events are expected to be revealed soon, which would also be included in the DAZN Ultimate Tier.

US customers can sign up for Ultimate Tier now for   $44.99 per month.  UK customers can subscribe for £24.99 per month.

Based on buying 12 PPVs per year, having an Ultimate Tier subscription instead can save $535 / £320 a year alone**. 

**Savings calculated by comparing 12 months of DAZN Monthly Flex plus 12 pay-per-view events per year against 12 months of DAZN Ultimate at launch price.