With more beef than a summer barbecue, the lightweight division is heating up nicely. The 135lbs weight class has swiftly become the most exhilarating division in boxing with undisputed champion Teofimo Lopez leading the way and unbeaten trio Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney hurling verbal bombs in hot pursuit.
Having dethroned pound-for-pound supremo Vasiliy Lomachenko on the cards last October, New Yorker Lopez is naturally feeling invincible right now and eager to take on any of his American rivals later in 2021 before an anticipated move to 140lbs.
Since toppling Lomachenko, Lopez has been an interested observer as WBA Regular champ Davis demolished Leo Santa Cruz (WKO6), WBC full champion Haney handily outpointed Yuriorkis Gamboa and WBC interim title-holder Garcia downed Luke Campbell (WKO7).
The quartet have been vocal on social media, but confrontations in the ring are all that matters. Undisputed lightweight king Lopez believes none of the trio are a match for his blend of poise and power but hopes financial demands and boxing politics don’t interfere with a series of fascinating rivalries.
“I know y’all scared and shit, but let’s just make the fight happen for the fans. Let’s just do that. Don’t overprice yourselves. If y’all believe y’all the best and y’all think that y’all can take this, then let’s make the fight happen!” Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) told TMZ. “Man, don’t be pussy about it.”
Escalating the war of words, the Honduran-American singled out ‘Tank’ Davis as being ‘scared’ of a high stakes encounter with him.
“Yeah, he is [scared]. He is. He’s not scared of the opposition he’s facing right now because it’s light work. I mean he knocked out a 122-pounder [Leo Santa Cruz]. Come on yo! I can do the same shit and I can do it better, in a better fashion.
“But hey, I take my hat off to [Davis], he’s doing his thing and I congratulate all of them. Haney, Garcia, Tank. But, when it comes to it man, I’m the king of the division. I’m the kingpin!”