Teofimo Lopez is on the hunt for high-profile matchups, setting his sights on some of the biggest names in boxing, with Gervonta Davis being the latest on his radar.
At a recent media event during the weigh-in for the Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga headliner, Lopez made his intentions clear, calling out Davis with confidence. “Hey, Tank, give me a fight, brother,” Lopez said.
“He ain’t fighting, I ain’t fighting. What’s up? I don’t like people saying I’m ducking somebody. Why do I beat him? Because I’m the takeover, that’s why.”
Despite Lopez’s bold challenge, the fight seems unlikely at the moment. Gervonta Davis, currently a lightweight, doesn’t appear eager to move up to super lightweight, where Lopez is the WBO champion. Reports suggest Davis is eyeing other options, including a potential bout with Jose Valenzuela, the new WBA light welterweight champion, or a unification fight with Shakur Stevenson. Meanwhile, Leonard Ellerbe, Davis’s promoter, was quick to dismiss any rumors of a Lopez-Davis showdown. When asked if the fight with Lopez was in the works, Ellerbe didn’t hold back: “Get the f*ck out of here,” he bluntly responded.
Ellerbe criticized Lopez for being erratic in his fight planning, noting that Lopez frequently drops names without a clear strategy. He even mentioned Lopez’s inflated demands, citing a rumored $20 million request to fight Devin Haney as an example of how negotiations with Lopez can go off the rails. “He’s a good fighter, but he can’t f*ck with Tank,” Ellerbe declared, confident that Davis would win if the fight ever materialized.
Adding to the uncertainty is Lopez’s shifting weight class ambitions. While currently at 140 pounds, Lopez has made it clear he’s willing to jump to 154 pounds for a chance to fight Terence Crawford. However, Crawford, who is now targeting a mega-fight with Canelo Alvarez at 168 pounds, seems to have moved beyond Lopez’s reach. Undeterred, Lopez has been vocal about his desire to fight Crawford, suggesting that the 36-year-old champ is past his prime and ripe for the taking.
But with Crawford focused on bigger paydays and Gervonta Davis locked into his own career trajectory, Lopez’s future remains uncertain. His confidence and ambition are undeniable, but securing a fight with either of these stars seems more complicated than ever.
What do you think? Is Teofimo Lopez aiming too high by calling out Gervonta Davis and Terence Crawford, or is he justified in seeking these big-name showdowns? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
