After troubling pre-fight revelations, Teofimo Lopez recaptures championship form

Teofimo Lopez's Saturday night took an unexpected turn after his victorious fight for the WBO super lightweight world title at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Despite the dark and brooding promotion leading up to the fight, the best moment for Lopez came afterward.

An interview with ESPN revealed a stark contrast in Lopez's demeanor when his father, who also serves as his trainer, entered the room. When a reporter tried to empathize, Lopez quickly interrupted with a curt and decisive response, expressing that nobody truly understands what he has gone through and continues to endure.

Witnessing this interaction would undoubtedly raise concerns for anyone familiar with Lopez, prompting valid questions about whether he should have been allowed to fight at all. Lopez's remarks about wanting to kill his opponent and expressing a desire to die in the ring, coupled with his evident distress and glimpse into his behind-the-scenes life, left doubts about the New York State Athletic Commission's responsibility to intervene and potentially halt the fight.

However, as the bell rang on Saturday night, it seemed like a throwback to 2020. Lopez displayed brilliance in the ring, showcasing exceptional boxing skills and delivering powerful punches that shook the once-undisputed champion, Josh Taylor. He maintained control throughout the fight, ultimately securing a victory that was much closer than it should have been.

Had Taylor won the 12th round according to the scorecards of Steve Gray and Joseph Pasquale, the fight would have ended in a majority draw, allowing Taylor to retain his belts. Fortunately, Lopez emerged as the superior fighter, and even Taylor acknowledged his opponent's superiority, graciously admitting that Lopez was the better man that night.

Following his post-fight interview, Lopez gathered his team for a photo session. It was during this moment that he turned to his right, gazing at someone in the distance, and smiled. This fleeting instant became the highlight of his night, momentarily relieving him of his pain.

Lopez, who is currently grappling with a bitter divorce and upcoming custody battle for his son, Liam, expressed thoughts of retirement and dissatisfaction with his earnings when asked about his future. These concerns are significant, considering his prior grievances about potentially losing half his money in the divorce settlement.

The weight on Lopez's shoulders is immense, and his father, who serves as both his biggest fan and a significant source of his problems, seems to have a vested interest in living the fighter's life through his son. Nevertheless, boxing has provided a bond between them and kept them somewhat grounded in reality.

There is no excuse for Lopez's repeated statements about wanting to kill Taylor, although he did apologize directly to Taylor for his words. Thankfully, Lopez seemed to revert, at least most of the time, to the happy and outgoing young man who took the boxing world by storm in 2017 and 2018 when he was twice named Yahoo Sports Prospect of the Year.

Inside the ring, Lopez demonstrated near-perfection and evoked memories of his glory days, despite being just 25 years old. He delivered a performance reminiscent of his dominant victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko in Las Vegas in 2020, which propelled him to become the undisputed lightweight champion and climb high in the pound-for-pound rankings.

The fight's outcome was never in doubt after a few closely contested early rounds. Lopez landed powerful shots, utilized combinations effectively, and strategically placed Taylor in vulnerable positions. As his father had boldly predicted at the weigh-in, Lopez outboxed Taylor convincingly. Although Taylor had previously held the undisputed super lightweight title before relinquishing three of the four belts following a controversial win over Jack Catterall, he was still widely considered the division's top fighter and entered the bout as a 2-1 favorite, attracting significant late betting support.

Prior to the fight, Lopez's irrational

behavior and emotional distress in publicly exposing his personal life's problems gave no indication of the remarkable performance he would deliver. This serves as a testament to the immense talent Lopez possesses. If he had a more stable personal life without constant interference from his father, one can only imagine what he would be capable of achieving. Following his lackluster victory over Sandor Martin in his previous fight, Lopez questioned whether he still had what it takes. However, his performance on Saturday night unequivocally answered that question.

In the aftermath of his triumph, Lopez expressed deep gratitude and relief, emphasizing that the victory had been a long time coming. By defeating Josh Taylor, the former undisputed world champion and top-ranked contender, Lopez solidified his status as a two-time undisputed world champion. He addressed the audience with a single question: "Do I still got it?" And the resounding answer was a definitive yes.

Seeing him smile after realizing this reaffirmation was truly heartening.