During this video interview with our friend Marcos Villegas of Fight Hub TV, promoter Leonard Ellerbe shares his thoughts on some of the biggest names around the lightweight division and where they stand in comparison to his man, Gervonta Davis. Check out some excerpts below.
Ellerbe on Teofimo Lopez poising himself to become a big star with his win over Vasily Lomachenko:
“I wouldn’t jump that far. He did exactly what he was supposed to do and he’s a very good fighter. In this sport people throw that word ‘star’ around too much. They say you become a star overnight — no, no, no, you don’t. And just because you beat another good fighter, that don’t make you a star.
“Prior to the Commey fight, you guys were trashing the guy. I mean he fought Nakatani and it wasn’t a good performance but you was questioning this, this, and that…I think he’s a good young fighter but I wouldn’t be anointing him as no star. I mean, what kind of drawing power does he have? I don’t know. I never seen the kid headline a main event. But he’s definitely on the right path to being everything they think he’s gonna be and wish him nothing but the best, he’s a good fighter.
“What Tank has shown — some of the media has criticized him, say he hasn’t fought anybody…he putting asses in the seats! So the fans are coming put in droves for what?…Our goal is not to capture the minds of Boxing Twitter, we want to turn this young man into a global superstar. And he’s definitely on the right path, he continues to follow the lead and follow directions. And we gonna make the biggest fights out there possible. And with the biggest fights it means you got to fight the best fighters out there, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
On if he still thinks there’s interest in a Davis-Lomachenko fight:
“I don’t think about nothing because all roads lead through Tank. Tank is the biggest star out of any of those guys. Any of em! They’re not even on his level. None of ‘em. At ‘30 or ‘35, none of them. Can any of ‘em sell any tickets?
“Yes (I was surprised Lomachenko lost). Again, I picked Lomachenko to win the fight. But I mean, that kid (Lopez) didn’t show me nothing that’s like ‘oh!’ He’s a good fighter…Nothing special, and no disrespect, but nothing special. He’s a very good fighter. He’s a young fighter and he’s very good.”
On why he doesn’t think there’s anything special about Lopez despite beating Lomachenko:
“You guys (the media) have put (Lomachenko) on the level of Floyd Mayweather, and it was the most ridiculous thing that one could ever even say. It’s insulting. It’s insulting, actually…We’re gonna continue to build our fighters and put on the biggest and the best fights out there for the most money.”