A new boxing star was born in October 2020 when Teofimo López defeated Ukrainian superstar Vasiliy Lomachenko. Boxing purists knew who Lopez was, but casual fans met an exciting new face in the sport.
Lopez started boxing at age 6, he has elite technique, lots of speed and power, and 12 knockouts in his 16 professional fights. Now 24, he has all the qualities necessary to become a boxing superstar if he continues to win.
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The newly crowned undisputed lightweight champion will face George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. There is bad blood between these fighters, both undefeated.
SN looks at Lopez’s last five fights before one of the biggest fights of his career.
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Teofimo López vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko (16-0)
One of the biggest upsets in combat sports in 2020 was Lopez’s unanimous victory over Lomachenko for the lightweight championship.
Lopez paid $ 4.30, while favorite Lomachenko paid $ 1.20 to win at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The loser started strong and Lomachenko couldn’t understand him as he usually does against his other opponents.
Lopez eliminated Lomachenko’s elite footwork and use of unique angles by putting pressure on the Olympic champion.
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The challenger dug deep and dominated one of the best boxers the world has ever seen.
The bell rang and it became clear that Lopez was the new undisputed lightweight champion of the world.
Teofimo López vs. Richard Commey (15-0)
Lopez fought IBF World Champion Commey at Madison Square Garden in December 2019.
Undefeated Lopez destroyed champion Commey with a powerful right hand that ended the fight in the second round by TKO.
Lopez was rewarded with the IBF title and called his future opponent in the ring.
This was his fourth fight in 2019. He concluded the year with a world title and a shot at former champion Lomachenko.
Teofimo López vs. Masayoshi Nakatani (14-0)
Lopez, 22 at the time, fought Nakatani in July 2019.
The American showed off his undeniable boxing skills, dominating the fight and winning by unanimous decision at MGM National Harbor in Maryland.
This was his third win in 2019. Lopez was in absolute tears against high-quality opponents.
Teofimo López vs. Edis Tatli (13-0)
Lopez added another knockout win to his record when he finished off Tatli in the fifth round at MSG.
The rising star dropped Tatli with a brutal body shot; the Finnish boxer was unable to get back on his feet.
Teofimo Lopez vs. Diego Magdaleno (12-0)
Lopez started his 2019 campaign with a bang, knocking out fellow American Magdaleno in the seventh round.
It was a stellar performance, Lopez used a wide variety of punches, including deft uppercuts and a nasty left hook to finish off his opponent.
Summary of the last five fights of Teófimo López
| Adversary | Outcome | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vasiliy Lomachenko | Won by decision | October 17, 2020 | MGM Grand, Las Vegas |
| Richard Commey | Won by TKO | Dec 14, 2019 | Madison Square Garden, New York |
| Masayoshi Nakatani | Won by decision | July 19, 2019 | MGM National Port, Maryland |
| Edis tatli | Won by KO | April 20, 2019 | Madison Square Garden, New York |
| Diego Magdaleno | Won by KO | February 2, 2019 | The Ford Center at the Star, Frisco, Texas |
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.