Former undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez says he’d be open to fighting Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis at 140 if he’s willing to move up in weight to battle him at light-welterweight.
This would be a revenge fight for Teofimo (16-1, 12 KOs), who watched his good friend Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero go down to defeat last Saturday night in a sixth-round knockout loss to Tank Davis at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Tank (27-0, 25 KOs) already won a belt at 140 last year, albeit beating WBA secondary champion Mario Barrios rather than one of the talented fighters like Josh Taylor, Jose Ramirez, Regis Prograis or Jose Zepeda.
“It was a great fight, Rolando Romero was winning the fight until that punch [in the sixth],” said Teofimo Lopez to Fighthype, reacting to Tank Davis’ sixth-round knockout of Rolly Romero last Saturday.
“I scored it four none or was it five? It went to the sixth. No, just because you countered once or twice, it doesn’t mean you won the round,” Teofimo continued when asked if didn’t give any of the first five rounds to Tank.
“Whoever he wants. S***, me, come on,” Teofimo said when asked who Tank Davis should fight next. “He looks too light at 135. Yeah, he looks too light at 135,” said Teofimo about him wanting to fight Tank at 140.
“He’ll probably thank me for that,” said Teo about Tank needing to move up to light-welterweight. “Rolly did a phenomenal job until the end until he got caught with that shot.
“I think what happened was he got a little too excited, and he lunged in and lifted up his head. That was the only thing I was concerned about with Rolly.
“I didn’t want to say it, and that’s what did it,” Teofimo said about Rolly lunging in with his chin in the air in the sixth, and getting caught by Tank.
“I think they should have let Rolly keep the fight going, even if he’s a little bit [hurt],” said Teofimo when asked if the stoppage in the sixth round was a fair one.
“Hey, he talked that stuff, let’s make the fight. If Tank is going to finish it, let’s see. Me too,” said Teofimo when told that his dad thought Rolly was winning at the time of the fight being halted.
“I didn’t give one round to Tank at that, no. Maybe after that drop, they had made the fight happen. Either he [Tank] stops it on his own or he wins that round.
“I think it’s great. Everyone is going to move up to 140,” said Teofimo when asked how a fight between him and Tank plays out at 140. “There’s nothing at 135 no more. Once I left, it’s not really as [interesting]. It kind of died down. It’s not as exciting as 140.
“It’s a great fight [Tank vs. Teofimo at 140]. I’m not even going to say [how the fight would play out]. I’m going to do what I do best, and that’s win,” said Teofimo.