From the moment that Teofimo Lopez turned professional following the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it was obvious he had mega-star potential.
Going into Friday’s bout in Times Square in New York against Arnold Barboza, Lopez reminded everyone watching why so much was expected.
Turki Alalshikh, the owner of Ring Magazine, spent millions to stage a fight outdoors in the middle of iconic Times Square to showcase some of boxing’s finest young stars. Given Lopez’s potential, it was a no-brainer to include him on such a card.
At his best, Lopez outshines any of them.
Lopez was brilliant on Friday: fast, powerful, sharp and in command. He won a unanimous decision over a guy who entered the bout 32-0, and it was never really close.
He won by scores of 116-112 twice and 118-110 in a bout he didn’t have any difficulty controlling the flow and tempo. Barboza paid almost every time he tried to throw, as Lopez’s rapier-like reflexes had a jab in his face instantly.
Barboza was physically outgunned in all aspects and didn’t fight with the urgency needed to handle an elite opponent competing at the top of his game. Lopez was faster, hit harder and showed a better boxing IQ.
The problem for Lopez is his consistency. Friday’s victory was just his third signature performance, following wins over Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020 and Josh Taylor in 2023.
At his best, Lopez stands shoulder-to-shoulder with anyone. The issue is he doesn’t do that nearly enough. He looked ordinary in wins over Jamaine Ortiz and Steve Claggett, two guys he’s infinitely more talented than.
When he fights like he did Friday against Barboza, he’s dangerous and can defeat anyone at either 140 or 147 and probably the majority of them at 154.
He kept that focus for 36 minutes on Friday and it was inspiring to see a fighter on top of his game on a huge stage in the middle of New York City.
“I feel great,” Lopez said afterward. “I feel reborn.”
He’s still a baby in there. He’s only 27 years old and is in the middle of his fighting prime. There is no limit to how much he could accomplish in this sport.
He called out welterweight champion Jaron Ennis, a 50-50 fight that has the ability to be sensational. It’s also a bout that Lopez could win if he goes through his camp professionally and boxes with the mindset he brought in Friday against Barboza.
He was blistering Barboza with the jab, and threw a whopping 375 of them across 12 one-sided rounds.
Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy Promotions
Teofimo Lopez (L) and Arnold Barboza square off at Thursday's weigh-in.
Against Ennis, the challenge would be tougher than it was with Barboza, but Lopez undeniably has the skills to come out on top. Ennis has that explosive power that Barboza lacks and the quick reflexes that will allow him to avoid a lot of the punches that Lopez landed on Barboza.
But give Lopez credit: He’s never tried to take the easy way. He’s always sought out the best potential opposition. He’s challenged himself at every turn.
He created a feud out of nowhere with pound-for-pound legend Terence Crawford because he desperately wanted to challenge himself against a boxer of Crawford’s stature. Lopez is such a competitor that once Crawford became widely regarded as the pound-for-pound best, he wanted a shot at him.
Crawford had moved up to 154 pounds by that point and, with his September showdown against Canelo Alvarez at 168 pounds looming, Lopez’s dream of facing him likely remains unfulfilled. Still, Lopez’s drive to challenge himself against the best is why fans continue to back him even with his occasional disappointing performances and erratic behavior.
Lopez proved Friday he’s still capable of rising his game to that rarefied air where only legends exist. And at 27, he’s got a lot of times to put in big-time performances.
If you saw his signature effort against Lomachenko in 2020, you may be excused for thinking you watched a repeat on Friday. The opponent wasn’t nearly as good as Lomachenko, but Lopez was every bit as brilliant as he was more than four years ago.
Hopefully, it’s a sign of what is to come for boxing of boxing’s most gifted, but enigmatic, figures.