It was always going to take something special for Teofimo Lopez to make his way back to the fight capital of the world.
The unbeaten lightweight titlist now plans to use that opportunity not only to launch his career to superstardom but to end the championship and pound-for-pound run of Vasilily Lomachenko in the process.
“I will beat up Lomachenko and take his belts. Simple as that,” Brooklyn’s Lopez vows ahead of their October 17 multi-belt lightweight title unification clash, which will air live on ESPN. “I’m coming to Las Vegas to make history.”
The bout was formally announced by Top Rank—which promotes both boxers—on Tuesday, serving as the centerpiece attraction of a loaded October schedule with major fights featured every weekend in the month.
For Lopez (15-0, 12KOs), it also means a return to the city which housed his pro debut. The brash Brooklynite played Vegas just once in his career, scoring a 2nd round knockout of Ishwar Siqueiros on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s 12-round win over Jessie Vargas in November 2016. The fight was his first piece of ring action since a controversial loss in the 2016 Rio Olympics, where Lopez represented Honduras.
Since then has come a ferocious rise to prominence, which has included his being named 2018 Prospect of the Year and winning his first major title in his most recent performance. The latter took place last December, where Lopez—as he solemnly vowed—tore through exiting IBF lightweight titlist Richard Commey inside of two rounds live on ESPN from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Seated ringside for the occasion was Lomachenko (14-1, 10KOs), a two-time Olympic Gold medalist from Ukraine and three-division titlist in the pro ranks. There were existing talks of the two meeting in a title unification clash due to have taken place this past spring had Lopez did his part versus Commey. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic got in the way of that, but hasn’t at all dulled the trash talk between the two.
There has never been any love lost between the best two lightweights in the world. Lopez is just grateful that he finally has the in-ring chance to put something behind his words.
“I don’t like the guy, and I’m going to have fun as Lomachenko’s face is beaten and marked up by my hands,” insists Lopez. “The Takeover is here, and the reign of Lomachenko, the little diva, is coming to an end.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox