Loudmouth Teofimo Lopez refused to back down from his shock threat to kill Josh Taylor as he vowed blood will be spilled when the pair square off in New York this weekend.
Tempers flared last week in the build-up to Saturday’s WBO light welterweight title scrap when the American issued his crass death threat. And the bonkers Brooklyn fighter was at it again as the pair faced off at yesterday’s press conference at the iconic Madison Square Garden venue.
Asked if he meant it when he said he “wanted to kill Josh Taylor’, former undisputed lightweight champ Lopez stood by his words before revealing a bizarre new catchphrase: "It's what it is. I speak the truth. I do have a quote of my own, I made it up yesterday - Aim for death for that's where life begins. I think it's a good one. Everybody is scared of death, I don't know why.
"Everybody is going to die but at least if I die, I've done something that means something that will last forever.”
Those baffling comments had Taylor rolling his eyes while watching members of the media struggled to muffle sniggers, prompting another Lopez outburst. He said: “At the end of the day I'm ready to put on a show. We're making history. Everybody can laugh and do whatever the f*** they want, but it's just me and him.”
Taylor - who had to be held back by an NYPD cop as things got heated after the Q&A - hit back: “He says what he means. I say what I mean too. He's been disrespectful so I'm going to make him pay for his words. I can't wait to get in there and get tore amongst him.”
Lopez lost his lightweight titles to George Kambosos Jr in November 2021 and has failed to impress in his two fights since moving up to the 140lb division against journeymen Pedro Campo and Sandor Martin. However, he said: “It may look like bumps but they are just stepping stones really. What matters is how you deal with them.
“Right now we have a good challenge against Josh Taylor which I’m excited for. I’m looking forward to putting on a show and really giving the fight fans what they want.
“They love blood, don’t they? I see many indifferences in him and his style. I believe that he has all the pressure on him and he has to fulfil those expectations.
“That’s a lot for a guy like him. If he says he’s a true champion and a true warrior, then that shouldn’t be too much for him and we should see a great fight on Saturday.”
READ NEXT
