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Teofimo Lopez not looking past Arnold Barboza Jr. amid bid for greatness
WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez is refusing to look any further than beating Arnold Barboza Jr as he bids to take another step towards greatness.
The 27-year-old native New Yorker (21-1, 13 KOs) will fight Barboza Jr in Times Square on Friday night in a huge triple-header on DAZN PPV .
Ryan Garcia takes on Rolando Romero in the headline bout with Devin Haney then clashing with Jose Ramirez .
Should Garcia and Haney prevail in their respective bouts, they are expected to have a rematch having previously met last year.
Lopez, though, is open-minded about his next fight should he take the win against Barboza Jr.
In an exclusive sit-down interview with DAZN, the WBO light welterweight champion said: “What’s next for me? I just gotta do what I gotta do on May 2 and we go from there. I don’t know.
“A lot of people talk, definitely, but when it gets to the paperwork and the point of it – and to the times of making things happen – something always happens.
“My main focus is just on performing at my best on May 2. Everything else will follow through after that.”
Barboza Jr is on a hot streak with wins over Ramirez and Jack Catterrall, but it does not faze Lopez.
He confidently declared: “I don’t need to show anybody anything.
“I’ve just got to prove myself right that I’m greatest and no matter what, my time’s going to come, whether it’s May 2 or in the next fight after. I’m just looking to do better.”
DAZNLopez joked that he had chips on “both shoulders” but said he was feeling good within himself as he prepares for his huge clash with Barboza Jr.
“I’m happy and it’s a common thing that, when you feel good and look good, you fight great,” he said with a huge smile.
“That’s the mentality we’ve been on and I’m going to keep carrying that the whole way, throughout my whole career because I’ve got 10 more years at this.
“I don’t want two lineals – I want a third one and I need to be three-time lineal world champion, at 28, and in three weight divisions.”
Terence Crawford is one of the greatest fighters of the past decade, winning world titles in four weight classes in addition to the undisputed world championship at super-lightweight as well as welterweight.
Yet Lopez reasoned: “Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford is arguably the number one pound-for-pound fighter on everybody’s list.
“He did it at 35 and I did it at 25 with two lineal world titles – we’re a decade ahead of everybody.
“Even your own pound-for-pound number one guy in the world, we’re a decade ahead of them.
“That’s a fact and I did it and I know that, but now is the time to start inspiring more people out of this. The only way is with these fights.”
How does he beat Barboza Jr?
“Just a lot of faith and no fear,” he replied.
Watch two incredible fight nights this week only on DAZN
Fight fans are in for a treat this week, with two amazing fight exclusively DAZN PPV .
- May 2: Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero; Devin Haney vs Jose Ramirez; Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr.
- May 3: Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull
Fight fans can purchase either these fight nights individually for $59.99 US; £/€21.99 UK/IRE; $24.99 ROW per PPV or take advantage of the DAZN Knockout Weekend Bundle where both fight cards can be purchased for $90 US; £34.99 UK and €34.99 Europe .
