IBF, WBC Franchise, WBO, WBA lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez is hoping to land very big fights in 2021.
Lopez had a breakout year in 2020 - after winning a twelve round unanimous decision over one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, Vasiliy Lomachenko, at the MGM Grand's Conference Center in Las Vegas.
Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) has been ordered to make a mandatory defense against the IBF's top man, undefeated George Kambosos (19-0, 10 KOs) of Australia.
When and where that contest takes place will depend on the COVID-19 restrictions.
If Lopez is unable to finalize that bout, then he intends to move down to line to secure bouts with some of the top names in his weight division - like Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis.
“We are talking about April or May [for my next fight], but I still do not have a date on when I'll return, there is no specific date; but those are the months in which I believe that I will return," Lopez told Mi Finde.
“If I can't face my mandatory fight, against George Kambosos, the other would have to be Devin Haney; if I can't get him, we're going to take Ryan Garcia; if that doesn't happen, we go after Gervonta Davis, but Floyd Mayweather doesn't want him to fight me. If nobody wants to fight I will have to look for an opponent at 140 pounds.
“When you are the best everyone wants to be like you, they would like to be in my position, they want to be the king of boxing, but they can't, they will only achieve it if they face Teofimo and if they beat me, but that's not going to happen. I am number one in the world, everyone who is below me wants my belts and everything I have, and that has motivated me."