A COUPLE of weeks after beating Steve Claggett in a dominant defence of his WBO 140-pound title, Teofimo Lopez was in a relaxed, reflective temper.
Talking to ESPN’s Mark Kriegel, earlier than jetting off on vacation to Italy, Teo talked about simply how powerful his Canadian opponent proved to be.
“I’d say, I by no means threw this many punches in my profession, however clearly with a raging bullfighter like Steve Claggett, it’s a must to undoubtedly keep lively and push via,” he defined.
“Nonetheless, I feel that the takeaway was, for me, the need have to be stronger than the ability, and that’s what it was that night time. I’ll be trustworthy although, I feel I may have accomplished 15 rounds with this man. We must always carry it again!”
Whereas Kriegel swiftly shut that notion down, punching a face-first goal spherical after spherical can actually assist protect power. Sustaining the identical bodily risk and psychological focus when confronted with one in all his elite contemporaries will present totally different challenges.
“What I realized is that I shouldn’t repair sure issues that aren’t damaged,” Lopez mused. “I modified the fabric inside my gloves from regular orthopaedic form of gloves with Grant, I modified it to horse hair.
“I feel the one ones that might actually, like, be excellent on that finish is Cleto Reyes. Nothing to remove from Grant, they’re phenomenal gloves.”
Unhappy with a materialistic response, Kriegel adopted up on his preliminary probing query about among the hidden, deeper issues that Lopez may’ve realized from the Claggett combat.
“I feel what I realized primarily about myself is that I nonetheless have the starvation for the sport,” Lopez responded.
“I nonetheless have that love for the game, and I feel that’s the primary vital a part of it. Once I expressed to ESPN on the platform of the final exhibiting of Max Kellerman, I keep in mind I expressed that I don’t wish to do that no extra, I don’t must.
“I felt like I achieved every part, in order a fighter myself, that places that into his factor, and actually desires to retire, I feel I misplaced somewhat bit of fireside in that second. Particularly coming off an exceptional win towards Taylor.”
The win over Josh Taylor was certainly phenomenal. The win over Claggett was extra practical and Lopez knew the form of combat it could become. Going through a veteran contender blessed with a “chin of rock” (Kriegel’s phrases), arriving in Florida to create his personal Rocky Balboa second, typically banana skins arrive in unexpected moments.
Whereas many scorned Steve Claggett’s choice as a world championship opponent, Teofimo positioned religion within the wider promotional workforce to ship him the suitable fights on the proper time.
This isn’t one thing he has all the time accomplished with High Rank, particularly across the wayward interval that noticed him first nearly cross the road to Triller to combat George Kambosos. When that choice fell via, the combat ended up on DAZN. Lopez now gives the look {that a} comparable transfer, looking for greener grass, wouldn’t occur twice.
“We’ve got phenomenal matchmakers, Corridor of Famers so to talk. Brad Goodman and Bruce Trampler, they know easy methods to make a profession.
“That is why we name it High Rank, for that cause. Solely the highest can rank to this diploma, and I’ve realized on this technique of the sport to permit the matchmakers to maintain my profession.
“For example, they’ve made the careers of Miguel Cotto, Felix Trinidad, The 4 Horsemen, Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya. The checklist may go on and on.”