Canelo Alvarez Better Watch His Back... Teofimo Lopez and I Are Becoming Close
I just may have found myself a new boxing best friend... What is it with me and Spanish guys?... And we got ourselves a real fight again this weekend.
I say “again” because it’s been almost an embarrassment of riches for people who enjoy the sweet science going into year’s end, and it ain’t stopping right through New Years Day.
But this weekend, in particular, we have the greatest 135 pounder alive, unified lightweight champ, Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs), making a LOOOOOOOONG awaited defense of his IBF, WBA, WBO, and Ring Championship belts versus an undefeated challenger from Australia named George Kambosos Jr. (19-0, 10 KOs).
Teo has not fought since he upset Vasilly Lomachenko with a non-controversial unanimous decision in Vegas last October. Since then, a run of positive COVID tests and bad promotion (by Triller) has kept this fight postponed for what seems like forever.
In swoops handsome Eddie Hearn, and now, Hearn's Matchroom (along with DAZN) not only got this train back on track, but they also got it running through NYC.
Because of that, I had Teofimo and his abrasive dad in the office this week, and I couldn’t get them to leave.
I attached an interview above and will drop the rest of his trip to HQ on social media leading up to the fight… Including me teaching a unified champ how to fight Southpaw…
Teofimo is a heavy favorite at (-910) on the Barstool Sportsbook, but I found a little value in Teo ending this thing in the first 6 rounds, so I’ll take Lopez with an early stoppage.
Enjoy the fights and take a report.
-Large
And here’s that schedule for the rest of the year (thanks to Dan Rafael)…
December 4: Las Vegas (DAZN)
Devin Haney vs. Joseph Diaz Jr., 12 rounds, for Haney’s WBC lightweight title
Jessica McCaskill vs. Victoria Bustos, 10 rounds, for McCaskill’s WBC/WBO/IBF/WBA women’s welterweight title
Filip Hrgovic vs. Scott Alexander, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Montana Love vs. Carlos Diaz, 10 rounds, junior welterweights
.
December 5: Los Angeles (Showtime PPV)
Gervonta Davis vs. Isaac Cruz, 12 rounds, for Davis’ WBA “regular” lightweight title
Sebastian Fundora vs. Sergio Garcia, 12 rounds, WBC junior middleweight eliminator
Sergiy Derevyanchenko vs. Carlos Adames, 10 rounds, middleweights
.
December 11: Liverpool, England (DAZN)
Conor Benn vs. Chris Algieri, 10 rounds, welterweights
Katie Taylor vs. Firuza Sharipova, 10 rounds, for Taylor’s WBC/WBO/IBF/WBA women’s lightweight title
.
December 11: New York (ESPN/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+)
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Richard Commey, 12 rounds, lightweights
Jared Anderson vs. Oleksandr Teslenko, 8 rounds, heavyweights
.
December 17: Montreal (ESPN+)
Artur Beterbiev vs. Marcus Browne, 12 rounds, for Beterbiev’s WBC/IBF light heavyweight title
.
December 18: Manchester, England (DAZN)
Joseph Parker vs. Derek Chisora, rematch, 12 rounds, heavyweights
.
December 18: San Antonio (DAZN)
Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez vs. Yunieski Gonzalez, 12 rounds, WBA light heavyweight eliminator
Seneisa Estrada vs. Maria Santizo, 10 rounds, for Estrada’s WBA strawweight title
.
December 18: Tampa, FL (Showtime PPV)
Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury, 8 rounds, cruiserweights
Amanda Serrano vs. Miriam Gutierrez, 10 rounds, female lightweights
Deron Williams vs. Frank Gore, 4 rounds, heavyweights
.
December 29: Saitama, Japan (DAZN)
Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Ryota Murata, 12 rounds, IBF/WBA middleweight unification
.
January 1: Hollywood, FL (Fox Sports PPV) -- ALL HEAVIES --
Luis Ortiz vs. Charles Martin, 12 rounds, IBF heavyweight eliminator
Frank Sanchez vs. Carlos Negron, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Jonnie Rice vs. Michael Coffie, rematch, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Gerald Washington vs. Ali Eren Demirezen, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Viktor Faust vs. Iago Kiladze, 10 rounds, heavyweights
TAR
-L