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Teofimo Lopez discusses his challenging 2021, Ryan Garcia & The Takeover 2.0

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LAS VEGAS, NV — The past year has been a challenging one for Teofimo Lopez. After a 2020 campaign where he shocked the boxing world by dethroning Vasiliy Lomachenko, capturing the WBA (Super), WBO, and IBF lightweight titles, and being recognized as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Lopez’s 2021 wasn’t quite as rewarding. He went through a divorce, dealt with health issues, and suffered the first loss of his career at the hands of George Kambosos Jr. 

But the loss has left the 25-year-old undeterred as he prepares to step back into the ring in a new weight class when he faces Pedro Campa on August 13 in Las Vegas.

MORE: Teofimo Lopez vs. Pedro Campa date, start time, odds, schedule & card for 2022 boxing fight

“It’s the Takeover, Takeover,” Lopez told The Sporting News during a media workout. Rather than move away from his previous moniker of “The Takeover,” he’s doubling down. Why? Because his losses have only made him stronger. 

“All the trials and tribulations made me a better man,” Lopez said when discussing a year that saw him lose his world titles, wife, and a health scare that nearly cost him his life. “I’m actually thankful for the things that I went through. I just turned 25, and I’m really trying to understand what God is teaching me and where I go from here.”

Rather than pine over the split decision loss to heavy underdog Kambosos, Lopez has decided to move forward instead of looking back. However, he does acknowledge that he was far from 100% in his last fight and compromised from complications due to COVID. And although both a doctor and his team begged him to pull out of the bout, Lopez tried to push through, but he came up short. 

For a parallel, look no further than two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes, who faced Julianna Pena as a massive favorite but entered the octagon still reeling from COVID. Nunes was submitted in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. But when she fully recovered for the rematch earlier this month, she thoroughly dominated Pena and reclaimed her title.

Nunes explained to The Sporting News just how difficult it was fighting with COVID complications, and Lopez agrees that he has never felt anything like that in a boxing ring.

“It was like torture,” Lopez said. “The last time I felt anything close to that while fighting was when I was 10; I had an asthma attack in the middle of the fight while going through the early stages of pneumonia.

MORE: Boxing’s top 25 under 25: Ranking the best young stars in 2022

“The big difference was that it was only a three-round fight, not 12. Nothing comes close to the amount of torture I went through to even make it to the ring, and still give the fans an exciting fight.” 

Lopez is proud of himself for going through the fight, regardless of the unfavorable outcome. What he does know is that he can endure anything, and he looks forward to showing the world just how dangerous he will be as he moves from 135 to 140 pounds and attempts to become an undisputed champion in his new weight class.

However, while he has his sights set on current undisputed champion Josh Taylor, Lopez has found a name that his peers want him to get in the ring with, regardless of how he looked in his last fight. 

Oscar De La Hoya recently announced that he will be ringside for Lopez’s fight, with plans to put together a future bout with the undefeated Ryan Garcia. But Lopez sees right through this as nothing more than posturing to remain relevant.

“It’s all cap, it’s all lies,” Lopez said. “If you’re going to call me out, go all the way with it.”

Lopez believes that his name is being used for fighters to stay in the spotlight. But when it comes down to signing contracts, they price themselves out.

“It’s all about the money for these guys,” he continued. “All these guys are trying to keep their undefeated record so they can make $100 million like Floyd Mayweather. But that’s not how you do it. It worked for Floyd Mayweather, but I’m going to show everyone how you can do it if you stay the course.”

Lopez has made it clear that he won’t turn down any opponent. But while others are after a check, he’s chasing legacy. 

The Takeover 2.0 starts on August 13.

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