Teofimo Lopez bounced back from defeat to Shakur Stevenson to capture a welterweight world title last weekend, and now Lopez has predicted how Stevenson would fare against his newfound welterweight rival and fellow 147lb champion, Devin Haney.
Lopez was comprehensively outboxed by Stevenson at Madison Square Garden back in January, losing almost every round as well as his WBO super-lightweight world title; a defeat which prompted a move up to the welterweight division.
‘The Takeover’ had been linked to a showdown with WBO welterweight champion Haney, but instead wound up facing WBA titleholder Rolando Romero in Las Vegas at the weekend and claimed a majority-decision win to become a three-division world champion.
Now, Lopez is eyeing up unifications with his fellow titlists at the weight, with potential showdowns against either Haney or WBC champion Ryan Garcia, sure to be huge spectacles.
Despite being beaten by Stevenson at the beginning of the calendar, Lopez told Daily Mail Boxing that he believes Haney would defeat the Newark southpaw.
“I think Devin Haney [wins].”
It is unclear whether Lopez is currently mandated to face WBA (Regular) champion Jack Catterall, with the WBA’s recent order for a fight between Catterall and Romero now being scrutinised.
Meanwhile, Garcia is set to take on Conor Benn on Saturday, September 12, whilst it is believed that Haney is targeting an October unification clash with IBF champion Liam Paro, but that negotiations for that proposed bout have stalled.
