Trainer Greg Hackett says Teofimo Lopez won’t stand a chance against IBF and WBA welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis if they fight next. Teofimo (22-1, 13 KOs) called out Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs) after his victory over Arnold Barboza Jr. last Friday night at Times Square in New York.
(Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom)
Mismatch Declared
Hackett says Teofimo is “tired of getting average money” due to the quality of his opposition. He wants to get his first big payday by fighting Boots, even if he’ll get destroyed. Greg sees Lopez as a “Clown” type of fighter, who uses a lot of showboating to entertain fans, but doesn’t provide much offense.
In the last three years, he’s been involved in a couple of controversial decisions against Sandor Martin and Jamaine Ortiz. Lopez should have lost both, but the judges saved him.
“It’s a mismatch, and here’s why. You’ve got a guy who is from Philadelphia who is obsessed with trying to hurt people. Teo is a clown,” said coach Greg Hackett to YSM Sports media, giving his thoughts on Teofimo Lopez pushing for a fight against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis next. “You put him in there with Boots. What is he going to do?”
It’s a complete mismatch if Ennis chooses to fight Teofimo because he has too much size, power, and punch output compared to the New Yorker. Teofimo struggled as it is in his last fight against the light-hitting boxer Arnold Barboza Jr. last Friday. Lopez was just moving and clowning the entire fight. The punches he did throw mostly hit air, as he was short-arming his shots to keep Barboza Jr. away. It was every bit as boring a fight as Devin Haney’s.
“Boots is too big, too strong, and speed might be equal. He doesn’t throw as many punches as Boots,” said Hackett. “He’s physically too small. His IQ ain’t the same. What is he going to do? It’s a waste of time. It’s a waste of money. Boots don’t get no credit for punching on a little a** Teo. So for what? I don’t want to see that at all.”
The Junk Fighter Label
Lopez is what you call a ‘Junk fighter.’ He moves around, trying to edge rounds by landing a few shots, and it’s not entertaining to watch now that he’s fighting at 140. He doesn’t have the offensive artillery to obliterate fighters like Boots.
In his last fight against Barboza Jr, you can tell that Teofimo co-opted Shakur Stevenson’s fighting style. He had it down pat and just as dull. The punishment that Teofimo has taken in his fights against Steve Claggett, Jamaine Ortiz, and Sandor Martin is likely the reason he chose to copy Shakur’s style.
The Lure of Millions
“Teo is just tired of getting paid average money. Nobody cares because you went in there and went 12 rounds with Arnold Barboza, who was clueless after four rounds,” said Claggett.
There’s no other explanation for why Lopez wants to fight Ennis next other than him wanting a big payday. He wants to taste the mega-millions for the first time, which is the only way. Nobody in his weight class will provide him the money he can get fighting Ennis. Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia haven’t shown interest in fighting him. If they did, negotiating the deal would be nearly impossible because Teofimo would likely price himself out.
“You’re going to put Teo in there with him? The same guy who said, ‘Do, I still got it?’” said Hackett about what Teofimo said after his controversial 10-round split decision against Sandor Martin on December 10, 2022, at Madison Square Garden. “He don’t believe in himself.”
Doubts His Own Ability
If Lopez believed in himself, he would have fought fighters like Subriel Matias, Keyshawn Davis, Gary Antuanne Russell, Brian Norman Jr., and Richardson Hitchins. All those fighters have shown interest in fighting him, but he’s not shown any inspiration to fight them.
“He’s doing that because he wants to make some money. He’s not doing that because he wants to win. Boots would murder him. No point,” said Hackett.
Teofimo isn’t entirely crazy. He knows what he would be up against fighting Boots Ennis, but the dough will be so good that he doesn’t mind. It’s better to get a giant payday and lose to Ennis than to stay at 140, fighting no names for the next three years before he’s eventually dethroned by one of the contenders.
Last Updated on 05/06/2025
