Teofimo Lopez has once again challenged Terence Crawford to a catchweight bout after his victory over Jamaine Ortiz.
Lopez successfully retained his WBO and The Ring super-lightweight titles on Thursday night, beating fellow American Ortiz via unanimous decision at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
It was a successful first defence for the former unified lightweight champion of the belt he won by outpointing Britain’s Josh Taylor at Madison Square Garden last summer.
Now Lopez has immediately set his sights on another challenge, calling out undisputed welterweight world champion Crawford for a huge fight at a catchweight.
Crawford was in attendance in Vegas on Thursday supporting Keyshawn Davis, who stopped Jose Pedraza in the sixth round of the co-main event before the Olympic silver medalist then called out both Lopez and Mexican three-division world champion Emanuel Navarrete.
"I am champion. I am king," Lopez said. "Glory is next for me. None of these guys want to fight me. I'll fight (Terence) Crawford at a catchweight. I'm here. I'm ready.
“I've always been ready. I'm younger, prettier, and a two-time unified champion at 25."
However, Crawford evidently did not think much of Lopez’s latest performance, stating on social media platform X that he believed Ortiz had won the fight.
“Talked all that s*** about me and lost”, he wrote. “Like I told him focus on who you fighting not me.
“@TeofimoLopez back to the drawing board you go chump.”
He added after the result: “He got a gift and he know it that’s why he crying. Catch weight what? This guy is crazy, but he knows what’s up he just trying to use my name for promotion.”
catch weight what? This guy is crazy, but he knows what’s up he just trying to use my name for promotion.
— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) February 9, 2024
Over Lopez’s claims that Ortiz “ran” from him in Thursday’s headline bout, Crawford said: “People gotta understand the game is called “BOXING”and not “FIGHTING”!!! Hit and not get hit.
“But I guess a lot of yall don’t know what that means, because when yall see a fighter boxing the first thing yall say is he running.”
On his defeat, which came after the judges returned two scorecards of 115-113 and one 117-111 in favour of Lopez, Ortiz said: “I stuck to the game plan, I listened to my corner, my team.
“I thought I was winning. I think I won the fight. What can I say? He couldn't hit me, I was making him miss all night. 117-111 is just ridiculous.”
Calling out Lopez, Davis said: “Teofimo has been doing a lot of talking lately. I'll go up to 140 and fight Teofimo. What's up? You already know how I'm coming. You and your father. So let's set it up. I'll come straight to 140. Let's go.
"And if you're scared Teofimo, then Navarrete. He is a great fighter. He is a hell of a fighter. It would be an honour to get in the ring with you after you capture the WBO title. So let's do it.”
