Ex-absolute lightweight champion American Teofimo Lopez (17-1, 13 KOs) accepted the challenge of compatriot Regis Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs), the owner of the WBC super lightweight division.
At the end of November, Prograis declassed and shortened compatriot Jose Cepeda (35-3, 27 KOs) and took the vacant title. Now the newly-minted champion will have to make two mandatory defenses in a row: first, he will fight with the ex-owner of this belt, compatriot Jose Ramirez, and then with Lopez, if he manages to beat Spaniard Sandor Martin in the eliminator at the weekend.
Lopez, apparently, expects to get ahead of Ramirez and has already thrown a fan at Prograis. In response, he promised to put out the light to the talker or even send him to the morgue.
Lopez such prospects are not
scare: “To the morgue – so to the morgue. Look, I don’t care who they put in front of me. I will still find a way to beat the opponent. So, Regis, if you really want to dance, let me know.”
Lopez later recalled that “Right now, I’m only focused on Martin. Am I worried about him being left-handed? Are you kidding? I have been in sports for over 20 years. They found, damn it, than to scare me. Don’t forget that I met and beat one of the best left-handers in the history of boxing – Vasily Lomachenko. Just remember what I did to him.”
Yesterday, Martin suddenly ran into Lopez, accused him of foul play. He answered. A little earlier, the ex-absolute decided on the enemy-goal No. 1 for 2023.