Photos: Sumio Yamada
Former lightweight king Teofimo Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) dethroned previously unbeaten WBO junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) by twelve round unanimous decision on Saturday night in front of a sold-out Theater at Madison Square Garden. Taylor started strong but Lopez took over after a few rounds and started beating Taylor to the punch. Later on, Teofimo was just teeing off at times. Taylor was close to going down in round twelve. Scores were 115–113, 115-113, 117-111.
“Josh Taylor is a tough dude,” said Lopez. “I can see why he beat so many fighters. But you’ve got to counter the counterpuncher. You’ve got to outsmart the man and get in there. And I did that. I think I did enough.This is what it is all about.”
“I questioned myself for a good reason. You guys don’t understand. I’ve always been my worst critic. And you guys got a little glimpse of it. But I’ve just got to ask you one thing, and one thing only. Do I still got it?
“I’m so grateful. This was a bout fixing what we needed to. That’s why I don’t leave my coach. I trust in him a lot.”
* * *
“No excuses,” said Taylor. “It wasn’t my best. The better man won tonight. I’ve got no excuses. I fought to the best of my ability. He was better than me tonight. It is what it is. Congratulations to Teofimo.
“I thought it was a close fight. I’d love to do it again. I definitely know I’m better than that, and I know I can beat him still. I’d love to do it again. But he’s the champ, so the ball is in his court.”
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Great win for Teo he resurrects and saves his career big $$$ fights to be made!
Teo looked good. Impressive performance. Cards were too close.
Lopez’s timing was spot-on clocking Taylor on his way in. Taylor was gritty to hang in there after some of those big blows from Lopez’s right hand. Great fight. Fun to watch.
Both Taylor and Lopez looked terrible! Taylor a little worse, I guess. Lopez will lose his title first defense. Taylor will become a gatekeeper!
Are you delusional? Lopez put on a master class.
And Sandor Martin, the Spaniard box circles around Lopez but was robbed! Top Rank must have invested big in the mediocre jerk off.
They both are a great fighters not any simple boxer can beat them up
I thought before this fight that Taylor had rededicated himself to the sport because he was able to make weight without much trouble, but his last world class performance was against Ramirez. His gift decision against Catterall was no fluke, and now he should walk away from the sport. Lopez will lose to Prograis who is now the true undisputed guy at 140, who would have knocked out Taylor in under eight rounds if he had have been in the ring with the Scot tonight. Teo was good tonight but Taylor was dreadful.
Catterall beat Taylor more clearly than Lopez did tonight. He even knocked him down. Lopez has no punch at 140. Sandor Martin was robbed against Lopez. Lopez is really a repulsive jerk.
Full credit to Lopez, not at all shocked he won, but I thought won clearly and he was beating Taylor up in that last round. Loved how Taylor didn’t want to blame the inactivity for his performance so I won’t either. Great fight by Lopez.
Boring fight. Neither fighters looked like they should be a main event. Maybe a untelevised undercard.
Yeah because there are so many better fighters out there. Stick to watching professional wrestling you’ll fit right in.
Thought Teo won this pretty handily, more so than the 115-113 cards indicated. Didn’t think their styles meshed very well…maybe it was the southpaw vs. orthodox thing…but the one or two punch, then clinch sequence seemed to repeat itself over and over. Taylor just loading up on the left hand was never going to get it done tonight. Teo showed a better variety of punches, and looked a lot stronger late. Great win for him.
Agreed!
Wow Teo made Taylor look very ordinary, surely bit of ring rust for Taylor but did look like the Teo of old. Kept it pretty classy at the end to which is good to see
Agreed. The fighters kept it classy, but someone in Taylor’s corner refusing to hand over The Ring belt after the loss wasn’t a good look. Not sure what that was all about…
If this version of Lopez has been against Kambosos, he could have won easily that fight, but that is on the past and now Teofimo is well motivated for his next fight that could be against Jose Ramirez
Style makes fights
I honestly thought it might go the other way. Styles make fights. I wonder if we will see a rematch?
Please no rematch fight was to boring to watch all over again
Teo controlled the fight from the round four onward. Threw Harder shots; straights, uppercuts, jumping punches. Teo looked very confident and the Teo that defeated Loma.
Whatever Taylor threw, did not affect Teo at all.
115-113×2 were a bit off to me.
I would love to see Subriel Matias vs Teo Lopez
I predicted Teo would win this fight and he did…
Crazy to think that if Taylor had won the 12th, it would have been a Draw, which would have been BS IMO…
I agree USF. I typically like to focus on the fact that the right person ended up winning the fight and that’s what happened here, but to watch that fight and think it one round away from a draw… no way in hayell!
Wanted Lopez to lose and even more when he flashed his robe sporting Disney plus and bud light both sellout immoral companies. Then listened to his interview with kregil and how he told the truth. Thinking to myself, what a sellout. On one hand, he says it like it is then, sides with two companies that believe man is a woman and woman is man. Ridiculous. Bottom line, he won and only one judge had it right.
Ok. So what’s the deal with Disney? I know the bud light issue that’s going in but I’m out of the loop with Disney.
Paro in 2!
Teo is my Dog like I said before he is the most underrated yet has the most impressive resume from the 4 top prospect of their moment (Tank, Ryan, Haney) People wanna say Haney and Tank are P4P fighters yet they don’t even mention Teo in that list even though he has by far more superior accomplishment than the other 3
He lost to kambosos that why. Kambosos was never pound for pound and really looked terrible against Haney twice. Kambosos is barely a tep ten in his weight class.
Style makes fights
Teo beat loma
Loma beat honey
Honey beat kambosos
Ksmbosos beat teo
Loma beat honey
Average fighter. Gonna lose his first defense (but they’ll find a tomato can to save a paycheck). Maybe he should fight a trans, since he’s being sponsored by gay-loving Bud Light.
Add that he came out wearing a Disney jacket the child sex grooming company for pedophiles.
The horror, he wore a Disney jacket!
You haven’t been reading have you?
Goog fight, let’s do it one meore time..I believe D-13 some this htrou never how..
Ment to say D+13 pulled into out
I WAS WRONG!!! Predicted that Taylor was too much for Lopez and would stop him in 10! Take my crow with a little salt and pepper please!!!!!
That was a great fight. Both fighters showed us the science of the sport and all the little intricacies. I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be and I thought it depended on whoa dialed in more. Teorimo seems to fight up to the level of his competition and tonight he stepped up against an elite fighter. I think Taylor was off a bit in terms of timing, but Lopez did what he had to do. The combos, timing, angles and cardio from Lopez were impressive. Let’s hope that he stays focused because 140 can be the new hot spot full of good fights.
Before the fight really didn’t care who won just hope to see a high quality fight, but when Lopez came out wearing apparel advertising of child sex grooming company in Disney and add that of women degrading company in Bud Light on his trunks, I was pulling for Taylor. Descent fight, nothing super special and Lopez deserved the win.
you know i thought Lopez beat Taylor more decisively than Loma there is no need for a rematch it wasnt that close 117-111 was right for once
What was the argument about, after the fight was over, between Lopez and one of Taylor’s cornerman?
After the fight Team Taylor did not want to release and hand over the Ring Belt to Teo
I really thought taylor would beat teo,I guess I was wrong lol
Just had a vision, Kambosos goes up to junior welterweight, challenges Lopez again…..Lopez is so hittable and there was a different Taylor in the ring who didn’t capitalise on the openings Lopez presented him