IBF lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez is looking to eradicate Vasiliy Lomachenko from the lightweight discussion.
Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs) aims to add the WBA, WBO world titles to his collection when he faces Lomachenko at the MGM Grand’s Conference Center on October 17th on ESPN. It’s up for debate if Lomachenko’s WBC Franchise title will be at stake in the fight.
Lopez, an exciting power puncher, has been calling for this moment practically from the very start of his pro career.
Lomachenko had little to no interest in the fight – until last December, when Lopez captured the IBF title with a sensational second round knockout of a very durable Richard Commey.
Lopez has never been a fan of Lomachenko, at least as a person. He believes the two-time Olympic gold medal winner carries himself in a poor manner.
While the fight has been mentioned for last few years, Lopez would like to end the Lomachneko mentions next month.
“Personally, I don’t like the guy and I don’t like the way he carries himself,” Lopez said to Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports. “He’s arrogant. I don’t want to promote him by even saying his name. Every interview I do, or have done for a long time, that’s the guy everyone asks me about. His name doesn’t carry my career, and after this fight, I don’t want to hear about him or talk about him again.
“I’m not even in my prime yet. I haven’t started that rise, believe me when I tell you. I have a lot more to come on this journey. He’s one step along the way, but there’s a lot more to come after this. Trust me on that one. There’s a lot more to come.”