Josh Taylor Feels Teofimo Lopez Must Finish business as Lightweight!
When super lightweight champion Josh “The Tartan Tornado” Taylor (18-0, 13 KO’s) entered in the professional ranks, his primary goal was to become a world champion. He successfully achieved that desire when he captured the IBF Super Lightweight title from Ivan Baranchyk back in May of 2019. Now almost two years to the day, the Tartan Tornado became the seventh undisputed champion of the 140-pound division.
He accomplished this by roughing up and out boxing Jose Carlos Ramirez and pirating away his WBC and WBO belts. So it goes without saying that the Irishman is currently feeling on top of the world.
Throughout the build-up for Taylor versus Ramirez, WBA Super, WBO and IBF lightweight champion Teofimo “Take Over” Lopez (16-0, 12 KO’s) remained a very interested spectator. On numerous occasions, Lopez has publicly stated his desire to move up in weight soon. Other than stating that he wanted to make the jump, he has remained extremely vague about when that would be. Yet, he has been very vocal about wanting to face the winner of Taylor/Ramirez when he did so. Clearly the feelings were not mutual!
YOU’VE GOT MORE TO DO!
The Tartan Tornado is quick to give Lopez his credit in regards to being a talented fighter. At the same time, however, he makes it very clear that the Take Over has unfinished business at lightweight. This is due to the fact that Lopez will tell anyone who will listen that he is the “undisputed champion” of his division. He says this despite the fact that Devin “The Dream” Haney is the actual WBC Lightweight champion. Instead of owning that title, Lopez owns the little respected and often mocked WBC “Franchise” belt. None of the other major sanctioning bodies recognize the Franchise title.
“He has to take care of some business at lightweight, first. He’s got to take care of what he is doing and actually become undisputed champion at lightweight, first. He’s a great fighter, I believe. He’s a great fighter but he’s got some stuff to do at lightweight.”
This is not the first time that Taylor has expressed these sentiments, so obviously he is not budging from his position. It will be interesting to hear what Lopez has to say in response. Up to this point, he has remained dismissive of anyone who takes issue with his claim of undisputed. So it will be revealing to hear his stance on what a legitimate undisputed champion, who he wants to fight, has to say.
It will always be interesting to see if Lopez gets tired of folks poking holes in his delusional claims and just goes ahead and fights Haney. Regardless of how it all plays out 3kingsboxing will be there to report the news.
By: Bakari Simpson
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