Teofimo Lopez has announced that his next fight is against the unheralded Steve Claret and has revealed the unusual reason why he has chosen this opponent in particular.
Lopez and Top Rank’s choice of Claggett as his next defence is an odd one as it is not a fighter that is particularly well known. The fight will mark a voluntary defence of Lopez’s WBO light welterweight title and it takes place on June 29th on Sky Sports in the UK and ESPN in the US at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida.
Speaking via his promotional outfit, Top Rank, Lopez explained his choice.
“I have always wanted to fight in South Florida, where I grew up and developed as a fighter. I never thought it would happen, but now, on June 29, I get the opportunity to do so not just as a world champion but as the lineal world champion of my division.
“This has been one of my goals since turning pro, and I’m motivated to showcase my talent there in front of my Honduran fans and the entire Latino community. This is like a Rocky Balboa story for Steve Claggett.
“I’m very much looking forward to what kind of style I’m going to see. There were no other fighters who were interested in fighting me, and I felt like he would give not just me, but the fans as well, a great fight to watch.”
The once highly regarded Lopez has struggled to find the same scintillating form of his early career. Last time out he beat Jamaine Ortiz on points in a less than convincing performance, and his fight before that against Sandor Martin also provided more problems than Lopez would have expected.
Many hoped he might go on to challenge big names in the division like Devin Haney or Ryan Garcia but instead it is the Canadian veteran Claggett who gets the nod and will get the first world title shot of his 16 year career.
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