Teofimo Lopez is a man in-demand, but is keeping his cards close to his chest as to his next move in the sport of boxing.
After becoming unified champion at lightweight, Lopez was put through a long and frustrating purse bid process for a mandatory defence against George Kambosos Jr.
In the eventual fight, the Brooklyn native would be beaten over the distance, later revealing a serious injury that he feels was behind the upset.
Rather than looking to win back the 135 belts, Lopez moved up to super-lightweight and fought twice before challenging formerly undisputed and undefeated Josh Taylor.
It was a performance that stacks up to his Lomachenko win in 2020, outboxing the Scot over twelve dominant rounds.
After a brief stint in retirement, Lopez confirmed he would fight on, but recently revealed that he has turned down an initial offer to face Ryan Garcia in February.
In an interview with The Porter Way podcast, the 26-year-old was asked who his ideal dance partner would be. He named one Terence Crawford.
“A fight? Crawford. Me and Crawford.”
“I love challenges. I love it. How else am I gonna learn? How else am I gonna be great? Besides, I’m the first male to become two-time undisputed. I don’t have animosity, it’s just boxing … Why not? We’re not too far away [in weight.]
Crawford became undisputed at welterweight this year with a stoppage win over Errol Spence Jr.
Now stripped of one belt, he is contractually obligated to fight a rematch before moving on to look for more titles. Unfortunately for fans, ‘Bud’ is likely to move up in weight rather than welcome Lopez to 147.