Teofimo Lopez is hoping his impressive win over Steve Clagett in Florida this week is just another stop on a busy 2024 journey.
Lopez knows activism is a key part of her career going forward, and she plans to keep busy to hone her skills and get her name out there.
Lopez is 20-1 (13 KOs) and the 26-year-old last boxed in February, earning a lackluster decision win over a reluctant Jermaine Ortiz.
Either way, the bout against Clagett (38-7-2 (26 KOs)) is designed to be an exciting one, as it will rekindle the momentum of Lopez's career, coming off a decision win over Josh Taylor in New York last June to capture the WBO junior welterweight title.
At the James L. Knight Centre in Miami Beach, Claggett, a 35-year-old Calgary native, is tasked with bringing out a different side to Lopez than what he showed against Ortiz.
Lopez acknowledges that fighting four times a year is now his top priority, and he hopes to fight again in September and December.
“Guys, you have to understand that production is important, staying active is important, and it's only going to bring out a better version of yourself,” Lopez explained. “If you look back at my career in 2017, 2018, I was playing four, five, even six games that year. So just imagine that … and how much better I was, better, better, better, better.”
There was one game in 2019, one in 2020, one in 2021, two in 2022 and just one last year, but Lopez is still hoping to get tested, too, and Terence Crawford remains at the top of his wish list.
“As the competition gets tougher, these things happen, so you look at other fighters and they look phenomenal, but what level are you fighting? I shouldn't complain because I did what they did this time,” he said of facing Claggett. “I've always fought the toughest fighters in the world, including Josh Taylor, who was the undisputed world champion at the time.” [Taylor lost three belts out of the ring]and was undefeated, beating everyone in that weight class at 140 pounds.
“Now we're going into the phase where we're just trying to keep going. I've spoken to my lawyer, Jeremy. [Koegel] I spoke to my team at Top Rank, everyone at Top Rank, and I said, “Look, I want to have three or four fights this year. Let me be in the action. If I can't do the unification fights, if I can't get the other champions to want to fight me, because they have their own agendas, they have their own plans with fighters from other networks and promoters, let me get in the ring and fight.”
“Because that's the most important part. Everybody complains that I won't fight this guy or that guy, and when I fight, everybody's looking for somebody else. Right now, all I'm saying is I'm just going to keep working, provide for my family with this and give the fans what they want, which is entertainment.”
Lopez sits in the rich weight range of 135-140 pounds. He has held top spots in both divisions and fans are clamoring to see him fight the likes of Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney before he retires. Clagett was slammed by many as a poor choice, but for Lopez there is a method behind it, and it goes back to staying relevant and staying active.
“Right now I'm just trying to get back on track,” he added. “I haven't lost anything I've done before. I'm not even in my prime, so imagine how productive I've been post-COVID. I'm happy with this new change. And then this guy comes in to fight. Steve Claggett is not an easy guy to beat. He's ranked No. 1 in all of Canada and in the top 20 in my weight class. So I'm looking forward to a great fight and showing everybody I've still got what it takes.”
