Teofimo Lopez has no interest in running back his recent victory over Rolly Romero, instead turning his attention toward unifying the welterweight division against bigger names in the sport.
The newly crowned WBA welterweight champion discussed his future plans on Monday, just two days after securing a 12-round decision victory over Romero. Despite his opponent's complaints about the judging and calls for an immediate rematch, Lopez made clear he has moved on from that chapter.
"No interest at all," Lopez told TMZ.com, noting that Romero chose not to include a rematch clause in their contract because he was confident he would win the fight. "Him asking for a rematch, I don't think people want to see that," Lopez told TMZ.com.
The champion has already identified his next target: the winner of the upcoming bout between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, scheduled to take place in the coming weeks. Lopez indicated he plans to attend that fight and evaluate his options based on the outcome.
"I think people now want to see Teofimo unify with all these other current champions right now," Lopez told TMZ.com. "You have Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn coming up in a couple of weeks. I'll be there tuning in, and we'll see what happens."
Lopez expressed enthusiasm about facing either fighter, suggesting both matchups would deliver compelling action for boxing fans. "Whoever wins, it's a win-win," Lopez told TMZ.com when discussing potential fights against either Garcia or Benn.
The champion's victory over Romero was not without its challenges. During the interview, Lopez addressed absorbing a significant punch in the fifth round and how he managed to recover and maintain control throughout the remainder of the fight.
By pursuing unification bouts rather than a rematch, Lopez signals his ambition to cement his legacy at welterweight by collecting additional championship belts. The Garcia-Benn winner would represent a significant step toward that goal, offering both name recognition and competitive stakes that a Romero rematch would lack.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
