The Boxing Truth®

  After nine months out of the ring, former Undisputed World Lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez returned to the ring on August 13 th in Las Vegas, NV. Lopez’ return to the ring not only represented a new chapter in his career in coming back from the first loss of his career and loss of his Lightweight crown, it also represented change in that Lopez would now be competing one weight class above the 135lb. Lightweight division. The 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division. Although this observer does not want to jump ahead too far for the purposes of this column, I certainly do not have to explain the history of the normally talent deep Jr. Welterweight division, nor the long list of names of great fighters who have ventured into the division over the course of their respective careers to most knowledgeable Boxing fans. It was nevertheless part of the story that Lopez, one of Boxing’s hottest stars was now the latest to test the Jr. Welterweight waters. As I said in previewing this bout, th...

There are several chapters one might say that chronicles a fighter’s career. For most fighters that eventually go on to achieve great success as professional boxers, the first chapter usually begins with an amateur career. Upon turning professional a fighter then reaches a stage known as the prospect level. While obviously some fighters will progress further along and eventually become contenders with the aim of challenging and hopefully winning a world championship, not every fighter’s path to that destination is exactly the same .      In the case of Teofimo Lopez, he developed quickly from prospect to world champion in under fifteen professional fights. Lopez did this due to both a crowd pleasing style as well as by building a reputation for scoring quick and often brutal knockouts. It were these attributes that saw Lopez catapulted into a unification bout for the Undisputed Lightweight championship of the world shortly after winning the IBF Lightweight world champio...