Teofimo Lopez Jr. is setting his sights on bigger challenges as he looks to climb the weight divisions. The current WBO junior welterweight champion recently turned down a September fight date against Brian Norman Jr., choosing instead to focus on potential matchups with Terence Crawford at 154 pounds and Jaron Ennis at 147 pounds.
Lopez, who has been vocal about his desire to fight Crawford, expressed confidence in his ability to compete at 154 pounds at the recent interview. Despite Crawford's recent close win against Israil Madrimov, Lopez feels that the Nebraska native is showing signs of aging.
"I’m walking at 155 pounds right now. I can fight Crawford right now," Lopez stated.
In addition to his aspirations at 154 pounds, Lopez is also open to facing top contenders at 147 pounds, including IBF titleholder Jaron Ennis. Lopez has a long history with Ennis, having competed alongside him in the National Golden Gloves in 2015.
"If people want to see it, then we'll do it," Lopez said, showing his willingness to take on any challenge that excites the fans.
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While Lopez is eager to take on new challenges, he has expressed some frustration with the level of support he's receiving from ESPN. Lopez feels that he deserves more backing from the network, given his contributions to the sport and his status as one of their top stars.
"I need a network that is going to push me," Lopez stated.
So, whether it's at 140, 147, or 154 pounds, Lopez is determined to continue making history and solidifying his place among boxing's elite by fulfilling his ambitions to become a three-division world champion.
Read more about the 8th P4P fighter in our ranking here.
Image Credit: Top Rank