Teofimo Lopez might have acted like a jerk in the lead-up to last night’s challenge of WBO and Ring Magazine light-welterweight champ Josh Taylor – Lopez as we all know threatening to “take Taylor’s life” – but “The Takeover” sure put things right in the ring in New York. Both during and after the fight.
Lopez was nothing short of magnificent last night in winning a commanding 12 round decision over 32 year old Taylor, Lopez taking Taylor’s belts and his unbeaten record. Full on energy and speed saw Lopez look like a wholly different fighter to the man we saw lose to George Kambosos and later struggle to defeat Sandor Martin. And Lopez, now 19-1(13) and a two-time champion, was a different animal.
Lopez bossed the action for long periods, the decision never in doubt at the end. Only Taylor’s heart kept him in there on occasion. And it was a very good fight, exciting and dramatic. The two cards that had it 115-113 for Lopez may have been too close, while the 117-111 card in favour of the new champion might have been too wide. But the right man won. Lopez, who wondered if he “still had it” last time out, showed that he has indeed still got it.
So what next? Lopez – who finally apologised to Taylor for threatening to kill him, the sportsmanship on display adding to a special night even if Lopez never should have said what he said in the first place – is back, perhaps bigger and better than ever, and he seemingly has a bunch of options: a Loma rematch would be fascinating, a Kambosos return would be interesting, or maybe Taylor, now 19-1(13), who has already called for a second go at Lopez, could get the rematch.
But Lopez, in throwing out another unexpected comment, has said he may actually retire from the ring. Speaking with Sky Sports after his UD win over Taylor, the 25 year old, in his prime Lopez says he doesn’t “get loved enough” and that he might walk away.
“What’s next? Maybe retirement,” Lopez said. “I think I need to take some time. I really want to help the kids out in the boxing world. But we’ll think about it. I’ve done a lot in my sport and I don’t really get loved enough from my end. You know, I think that’s what happens when you’re great, and people hate. But there’s too much on my family, too much on people that I love, and these are the things that I thought about.”
So, is Teo great? Do people hate on him? Lopez is a very emotional person, that’s a given, and retirement would come as a genuine shock. Lopez, in all likelihood, doesn’t mean what he says (again) and it would of course be very hard for him to walk away, this when he is at his peak, with so many $millions up for grabs in big fights. Big fights that, going by his superb showing last night, Lopez can win.
We’ve seen sudden and shocking retirements from the sport before, but this one would rank up there with the most sudden and the most shocking. Look instead for Lopez to relax, enjoy his win, and then get busy looking for his next fight. “The Takeover” isn’t done yet.
