Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez are reportedly preparing to face each other in a huge world junior welterweight title fight that will take place in the summer.
Taylor was set for a rematch with Jack Catterall on March 4 following his previously controversial split-decision victory but pulled out of the fight due to a plantar fascia injury sustained last month. That rematch now appears to be off the cards.
Sources have suggested that Taylor is instead now pursuing a fight with former lightweight title holder and long-term rival Lopez. The duo seem like remaining in on a deal for a title bout to take place in the UK and a date of both May or June has been counseled via boxing professional Michael Benson.
Josh Taylor vs Teofimo Lopez Preview
Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) had been set to meet Jack Catterall in a rematch March 4, but the bout was postponed after Taylor tore a plantar fascia last month. The 32-year-old champion said he would be able to resume training in approximately six to eight weeks.
News of an anticipated matchup will come as a large blow to Taylor’s cancelled opponent Catterall who hoped to avenge his previous defeat and inflict a primary career loss on the Scotsman.
Teofimo Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) captured the undisputed lightweight championship with a decision victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2020.
Catterall dropped Taylor when he challenged for the undisputed super-lightweight crown last year. A hugely anticipated rematch was expected this year but then Taylor suffered his injury.
There is not any rescheduled date for a fight to take region among the pair and Taylor has now grew to become his recognition to what will be a heated showdown against American Lopez.
A wonder defeat for Teofimo Lopez against George Kambosos in 2021 saw him lose his light-weight belts in what become a massive career blow for the 25-12 months-vintage. But he has recovered due to the fact then to climb up the as much as 140lb scores and now reputedly land a combat with junior welterweight king Taylor.
Should a combat be finalised then it’d mark a landmark bout each in America and England given the acute rivalry among the 2 opponents. In December, Taylor labelled Lopez a ‘clown’, telling Sky Sports: ‘He is a excellent, very professional fighter, however I do consider that on my night I take him to bits.
‘He’s a bit of a clown. He seems to look beyond his warring parties all of the time. It’s two times he is made the same mistake and almost paid the price for it again.
‘He thinks he’s God’s present, after which he comes crashing back off to Earth with a bang. Let’s no longer neglect, he did thoroughly to beat Lomachenko, however he beat a small, injured light-weight that simply should make featherweight.’
In a war-of-words, Lopez spoke back: ‘I’d tear him up, from the body to the head, he is not going to realize which one I’m going to hurt him with,’ he informed Sky Sports.
‘I genuinely will put him down better than what Catterall did. He might not come again up, it is all I can inform you.’
Spare a idea for Catterall who will miss out on the chance to face Taylor for a 2nd time and is getting ready for a past due march combat however has but to have an opponent showed.
Jack Catterall may be getting the shaft yet again, as Mike Coppinger reports at ESPN.com that Top Rank are planning to have Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez meet this summer in the United Kingdom, with Taylor defending his lone remaining 140 lb belt in the matchup.