Boxing
Should Teofimo Lopez change coach?
Published
3 months agoon
THE RELATIONSHIP between Teofimo Lopez Jr. and Teofimo Lopez Sr. as a boxer and trainer has been criticized before. When Lopez suffered the first and only loss of his professional career to George Kambosos Jr. in 2021, many questioned the guidance “The Takeover” received from his father in the corner.
At the time, Kambosos was a clear underdog, and Lopez’s loss to the Australian is still considered one of the biggest upsets of the past few years. Despite losing by split decision, some believe Lopez should never have lost to Kambosos, especially after defeating Vasyl Lomachenko to become the unified lightweight champion of the world.
Lopez has been sizzling and frigid in the fights since then. The Honduran-American looked sensational in a June 2023 fight against Josh Taylor to become a two-division world champion. The scorecards were relatively even, but Lopez looked a level above the Scot, like a pound-for-pound star facing a weaker contender.
However, his fights with Sandor Martin and Jamaine Ortiz, in particular, left the boxing world scratching its head, wondering if Lopez was the same boxer who was so dominant at 135 pounds. Some fans even thought he was lucky to come out on top.
The word “steal” is thrown around way too often in this sport. Still, Lopez has at least had some close fights against opponents who aren’t considered the best in the 140-pound division.
And despite winning every round in his last fight against the hard-wearing but constrained Steve Claggett, Lopez was unable to seal the victory with a knockout – something he has failed to do in four consecutive fights.
Regardless, Lopez’s talent has never been in question, which is why, at 27 years venerable, “The Takeover” still has time to become an all-time star by fighting in fights that will define his legacy against world-class opponents.
The super lightweight division is home to a wealth of talented fighters, including Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Jack Catterall, and Liam Paro. However, Lopez has previously expressed interest in moving up in weight and sharing the ring with Terence Crawford.
Meanwhile, Teofimo Lopez posted a video of himself training with Canelo Alvarez and Eddie Reynoso.
Canelo is preparing to defend his WBC, WBO and WBA super middleweight titles against Edgar Berlanga on September 14. However, it is likely that the Mexican superstar will not consider Lopez as a sedate sparring partner, as Lopez is five inches shorter and over 20 pounds lighter than Berlanga.
In fact, videos posted on social media show Canelo and Lopez sparring non-contact before taking turns smashing a punching bag. As such, it’s safe and sound to assume Lopez is flirting with the idea of joining Canelo’s team and teaming up with Reynoso. Lopez Sr. is not seen in any of the clips.
Lopez understands and speaks Spanish, so there would be no language barrier with Reynoso. Furthermore, Canelo has previously stated that Lopez deserves the fight with Crawford more than he does, suggesting that the Latino pair have a good relationship.
Of course, there has been no confirmation from Lopez as to whether he officially plans to work with Reynoso. However, some might say that after working with his father throughout his boxing career, amateur and professional, Lopez needs a change to reach his full potential.
To this day, Canelo is ranked as one of the best non-weight boxers in the world by Ring Magazine. Lopez is out. As the venerable saying goes, “iron sharpens iron,” and Canelo could be the influence Lopez needs to get back into the swing of things.
Also, from the outside looking in, Reynoso is a completely different type of trainer than Lopez Sr. It’s not uncommon for Canelo to beat his opponents. However, when Canelo decides to counterattack, he’s one of the best in the game, and some of that skill must be attributed to Reynoso’s teachings.
Lopez is also an exceptional counterpuncher, which is why a partnership with Reynoso could work out. The only difference is that he will be receiving instruction from someone other than his father, and Reynoso is probably a better trainer.
But Lopez has enjoyed incredible success under his father’s watch. The question remains whether the change in coaches will strengthen Lopez or set him back. On the other hand, if he decides to continue with Lopez Sr., a decisive performance is needed in his next fight.
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Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
9 hours agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
2 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
Boxing
Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory
Published
3 days agoon
November 21, 2024Lauren Price MBE will defend her world title for the first time on Saturday, December 14 at the Exhibition Center in Liverpool, while the Welsh champion plans to stage an all-British unification clash with welterweight rival Natasha Jonas, which will headline the Collision Course that night.
Price defends her WBA welterweight title against undefeated Colombian challenger Bexcy Mateus on the same night as Jonas attempts to unify the IBF and WBC titles with Ivana Habazin as part of BOXXER’s ‘Collision Course’ fight night, which can be seen live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK UK and Ireland and Peacock in the US.
Price MBE (7-0, 1 KO) made history with an excellent performance, defeating former undisputed welterweight world ruler Jessica McCaskill in front of her fans in Cardiff in May.
Price, the first Welsh boxer to win Olympic gold, once again entered the record books by becoming the country’s first world champion in just her seventh professional fight. The 30-year-old from Ystrad Mynach, who has yet to lose a round as a professional, will now defend her world titles for the first time as she focuses on dominating the welterweight division.
Mateus (7-0, 6 KO), ranked No. 5 in the WBA rankings, is undefeated in the professional ranks and has won all but one of her seven fights by knockout. The 29-year-old from Bogota, fighting outside her native Colombia for the first time, will now have her first chance at global fame, with her goal to dethrone Price and take the top spot in the welterweight division.
Lauren Price said: “I’m excited to defend my belts and complete what has been an crucial year for me. I have full respect for Mateusz. I will prove that I am the best in the division and I will not let anything or anyone stand in my way of being undisputed.”
BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “It’s a massive night for the women’s welterweight division with three world champions competing. Natasha Jonas returns to her hometown for a mandatory unification fight against Ivana Habazin, and Lauren Price defends her world titles against undefeated challenger Bexcy Mateus. The fight for the undisputed continues. If Natasha and Lauren win on December 14, it will set the stage for a massive “Battle Of Britain” world title unification fight next year.
There’s reason to celebrate as BOXXER delivers a Christmas cracker to end the year. In addition to the world championship fights between Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price, fight fans can expect a gala full of drama and entertainment.
Undefeated Irishman Stephen McKenna (15-0, 14 KO) will face English champion Lee Cutler (14-1, 7 KO) in an invigorating super welterweight fight for the silver WBC International title.
McKenna impressed fans in his three-round fight against Joe Laws last August at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley. The two struck out in the first round, then McKenna began to apply the pressure, losing Laws three more times and maintaining his undefeated record after a third-round stoppage.
English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley (11-0, 6 KO) returns to action from a rib injury that has kept him out of the ring since a career-best victory over Mikael Lawal in March. Riley will be looking to shake off the ring rust as he takes on high-profile opponents in the recent year.
Undefeated Chorley super middleweight Mark Jeffers (18-0, 5 KO) scored an explosive fifth-round knockout victory over Darren Johnston in May and will be looking to bring more drama to Liverpool’s Exhibition Center as he goes in search of his 19th professional win.
Mason Cartwright (20-4-1, 8 KO) from Cheshire, a former two-time British title challenger from Ellesmere Port, will be counting on local support as he returns to the title track.
After signing a promotional contract with BOXXER, local star Frankie Stringer (8-0, 1 KO) can achieve his third victory in 2024, when he returns in front of his fans in Liverpool. The 23-year-old lightweight fighter is a player of the notable city team Rotunda ABC, and his manager is former world champion Liam Smith.
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