Comments Thread For: Teofimo Lopez vs. Masayoshi Nakatani - Official For July 19

[angkag]

Nakatani has never fought in the U.S. I'm hoping he gives Lopez a good competitive fight, kind of like Inoue did with Munguia, and not a soft opponent to make Lopez look good. If there's any concern, how long can Lopez stay at this weight should he win the fight and become the mandatory challenger to Commey or Beltran?

You just never know with foreign fighters being away from home for the first time - sometimes they fall flat, other times you get a Pac (Pacs 'arrival' was vs Ledwaba in Vegas, where he came in as a late sub, prior to that he had only been out of the Philippines 3 times in Japan and Thailand, one of which he got knocked out).

So Nakatani is no better than a 'maybe'.

I'm intrigued by how Lopez comes in on the scales - part of me half-expects him to miss weight to announce his arrival at 140. Lopez admitted camp and weight problems pre Tatli, and he got married just after Tatli, so lots of moving pieces there that need to come together and will be interesting to see if he comes in with all the previous problems fixed. Post Tatli he said he couldn't see himself making it to Dec at 135 - so something needed to get changed.

[indelible]

Lopez is another bum. Y'all will see

We won't know for sure until that chin is tested.

[BOXING-SCRIBE]

Then l0m0 should fight him..

Lol. I am not part of his team, but he has fought a tuff group of guys. Lomo has hands, IQ, movement, chin, he is the packages... I had friend from PR tell me a saying that they say on the island..
"It is not the same thing to call on the devil as it is actually see him coming"
Lopez is calling on this guy, lol, but when he sees them horn, he'll fold.

[eco1]

Lol. I am not part of his team, but he has fought a tuff group of guys. Lomo has hands, IQ, movement, chin, he is the packages... I had friend from PR tell me a saying that they say on the island..
"It is not the same thing to call on the devil as it is actually see him coming"
Lopez is calling on this guy, lol, but when he sees them horn, he'll fold.

A saying that also Dominicans and Cubans use a lot.

No es lo mismo llamar al Diablo que verlo llegar!

[richardt]

I'm intrigued by how Lopez comes in on the scales - part of me half-expects him to miss weight to announce his arrival at 140.

Lopez will need to put his health as a priority because as we know, once a fighter is drained, it is a bit like fighters who drop a division, their punch resistance drops, sometimes dramatically. The brain needs water for insulation.

[Lomasexual]

I don't know anything about his opponent.

I hope that this Nakatani guy is good though. Lopez needs to have some experience against someone with a pulse. He's feasted on the low-level guys that almost everyone fights at the start of their careers, but to get to that next level you need to fight better and better opponents.

[indelible]

You just never know with foreign fighters being away from home for the first time - sometimes they fall flat, other times you get a Pac (Pacs 'arrival' was vs Ledwaba in Vegas, where he came in as a late sub, prior to that he had only been out of the Philippines 3 times in Japan and Thailand, one of which he got knocked out).

So Nakatani is no better than a 'maybe'.

I'm intrigued by how Lopez comes in on the scales - part of me half-expects him to miss weight to announce his arrival at 140. Lopez admitted camp and weight problems pre Tatli, and he got married just after Tatli, so lots of moving pieces there that need to come together and will be interesting to see if he comes in with all the previous problems fixed. Post Tatli he said he couldn't see himself making it to Dec at 135 - so something needed to get changed.

You raise a good point about foreign fighters. Nakatani is not to be underestimated by Lopez. I gotta look him up to see the type of fighter he is. I'm more than certain Lopez doesn't do well with pressure fighters or movers. If Nakatani is that type, we can be damn sure Lopez will struggle with his offense.

As far as with the weight situation, it's very doubtful he will be able to continue to remain at 135 given his previous struggle and if that's the case then no Loma fight for Lopez since he would have the winner (should he beat Nakatani) of Commey and Beltran and by the time that following fight gets made the year will already be up or who knows what Loma's agenda is after Campbell and Lopez will not be able to make weight anymore and will have no choice but to move to 140

[DaBeastO]

lopez should beat this dude and then whip comey next!

[Theosis26]

Lopez's fight is ass but dadeshev vs Matias is an very good fight, that's the only reason I'll tune in

[indelible]

Lopez will need to put his health as a priority because as we know, once a fighter is drained, it is a bit like fighters who drop a division, their punch resistance drops, sometimes dramatically. The brain needs water for insulation.

Agreed. Lopez should take a page from Jojo Diaz and Ryan Garcia for recent examples. Diaz looked drained from the Rojas fight and Garcia the same looked uncomfortable at his fight with Morales. Both fighters understood that their body was growing and can't cut down that much weight. It's detrimental to the body.