Teofimo Lopez dominated Arnold Barboza to retain his WBO and Ring light welterweight titles, winning decisively and expressing interest in facing Jaron “Boots” Ennis next.
Teofimo Lopez gave Arnold Barboza a boxing lesson. It was quite the spectacle.
On Friday night, Lopez put his WBO and Ring light welterweight titles on the line. The event was the first of three fights on the main card of Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero, dubbed “Fatal Fury: City of Wolves.” Right in the heart of Times Square, “The Takeover” put on a show. He dominated Barboza over 12 rounds, retaining his title with scores of 116-112, 116-112, and 118-110. Impressive, right?
The fight? Pretty tame overall. Lopez’s superior footwork, movement, and defense kept Barboza at bay. Sure, Barboza landed one good punch that stunned Lopez in the middle rounds. But he couldn’t capitalize, and Lopez pulled away, even showboating a bit.
After his win, Lopez was asked about moving up to face Jaron “Boots” Ennis. Lopez has been vocal about wanting that fight. “The Takeover” confirmed it’s still on his radar.
“You know me, guys, I go after the tough challenges,” Lopez said. “Definitely, I want to see Boots. I’m Dora the Explorer, and I’m looking for Boots!” Classic Lopez.