Teofimo Lopez is set to make his comeback in the ring in February of this year against Jamaine Ortiz. However, the Super-lightweight champion is already looking past him and eyeing a fight with Devin Haney and Terence Crawford. While calling out the unified welterweight champion, Lopez was quite critical of him. Amongst other things, he questioned, ‘Bud’s,’ credibility arguing that many of his victories over notable fighters came because they were “handicapped”.

What is in it for Terence Crawford?

In a recent interview with Fight Hub. TV, Lopez acknowledged that Crawford is a formidable fighter. He also lauded the former undisputed champion for having the will to fight against other formidable opponents. He then went on to say that he is a competitive boxer himself and could give him a run for his money. Moreover, he stated that a potential fight with Crawford is likely to be more financially lucrative for the latter than his previous fight.

He stated, “But I am going to be honest G with you man, I know that you are a great fighter, I’m a great fighter, you like tough competition, and so do I man. I may not be black but I got it in me. So all I say, with that being said, it’s like whenever you are done with the contract, if you stay at 147, yea man, I think we can make more money than. you made with Spence.”

It appears that Lopez is really looking to move up in weight to face Crawford. It goes to show that, he wants to compete against the best and not back down from any challenge. However, there is one notable personality from the boxing world who is not impressed with Teofimo Lopez.

Bill Haney criticizes Teofimo Lopez for calling out ‘Bud’

Bill Haney, the father of WBC Super-lightweight champion Devin Haney, urged Lopez to refrain from calling out fighters like Crawford. Haney thinks Lopez doesn’t deserve the chance to face Crawford. Reflecting on the same, he stated, “You don’t want none of ‘Bud’ Crawford and you don’t deserve none knock it off. Talk like you got some sense.” 

Haney does not see this bout materializing anytime soon. However, what do you make of Lopez’s call-out? Share with us your opinions in the comments section below.

Terence Crawford’s latest social media post could suggest that a contracted Errol Spence Jr rematch is now off the table.

The Omaha native beat longterm rival Spence in nine rounds back in July to become the undisputed welterweight champion, capping off a campaign in the division that saw victories over the likes of Jeff Horn, Amir Khan, Kell Brook and Shawn Porter.

His fight with Spence was long-awaited and, for many, the standout boxing event of 2023. Although billed as a 50/50 fight, Crawford won handily, dropping Spence on three occasions before forcing the stoppage.

Given the beating – one that Spence says earned Crawford the Fighter of the Year award – many fans and pundits felt that a rematch wasn’t necessary, but it had been written into the contract that the loser on the night had the right to enforce it.

Spence did just that months later, although there has yet to be a date or weight announced for the second showdown.

Following news that Spence has had surgery on his eye, fans already knew that they may be facing an even longer delay. Now, Crawford has posted on social media to say he’s ‘glad it’s over and done with.’

Given Crawford had already previously responded to Spence’s surgery, his latest post suggests that more has happened behind the scenes.

If the rematch is indeed off, he will likely look to move up in weight rather than stick around at 147. The fight that seems to have interested him most in recent times is a three-weight jump to face undisputed super-middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

Diehards and those in boxing circles knew how special Terence Crawford was. It simply took the rest of the world a bit more time to catch up.

The world title reigns, dominant wins, and undefeated record were all notable but many were convinced that Crawford was doing it against tenuous competition. In order to shut his doubters up, Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) needed to not only get a big fight but also show out.

Errol Spence Jr. was Crawford’s shining moment. Not only did he bring three titles to the dance floor but his name and status were exactly what Crawford needed. As their July 29th clash grew closer and closer, fans and media members were scratching their heads when asked to make a prediction.

Largely, their vote was split down the middle, making Crawford’s lopsided win even more impressive. Now, with his second undisputed run, the pound-for-pound star is looking for only huge fights and even bigger paydays.

Jaron “Boots” Ennis, the smooth-hitting Philly star, doesn’t quite qualify as a big fight. Although Crawford was stripped of his IBF title and Ennis was immediately elevated, talks of a possible matchup between them haven’t taken place. And, unfortunately for Ennis, it doesn’t appear as though they ever will. With Canelo Alvarez being Crawford’s number one target, he’s ignored the brazen call-outs of Ennis.

Although most understand where Crawford is coming from, Gabriel Rosado doesn’t like it.

“In all honesty, Boots earned his spot,” Rosado told Sean Zittel of FightHype.com. “He beat the guys he was supposed to beat, and they’re in the same weight class.”

Ennis, 26, has the sort of buzz that’s seldom seen nowadays. Up until this point, not a single fighter has challenged him. The newly crowned welterweight belt holder spent his 2023 wiping the floor with Karen Chukhadzhian and Roiman Villa. Now, while unlikely, he’s hoping that Crawford will take him up on his offer and face him next.

At the age of 36, if you aren’t depositing a significant amount of money into his bank account, Crawford would rather pass on anyone not named Canelo Alvarez. With that said, getting older in the sport comes with the territory.

According to most, Crawford is viewed as the best fighter in the world. But, if he wants to hold onto that crown that’s dangling from his fingertips, Rosado believes he’ll need to prove himself against some of the young lions like Jaron Ennis.

“This is a young man’s sport. You the king, you on top, you pound-for-pound but now you got the young killer coming up. To stay in the game, you gotta fight those dudes.”

Terence Crawford may have had the single greatest performance in the boxing ring of 2023, but it was not enough for him to be crowned the Fighter of the Year, according to Ring Magazine.

Instead, the prestigious award went to fellow two-division undisputed champion, Naoya Inoue.

‘The Monster’ defeated Stephen Fulton earlier in 2023 to become the new WBC and WBO super-bantamweight champion, before he finished Marlon Tapales in December to became the undisputed king of the division.

Boxing editor for talkSport, Michael Benson, recently took to X to share the news of Inoue’s award, and wrote this:

Terence Crawford’s sole fight this year came against Errol Spence Jr., with the pair facing off in July. Both men entered the ring undefeated and competed to decide the first undisputed welterweight champion in the ‘four belt era’ of boxing.

‘Bud’ put on one of the greatest performances in recent memory, and knocked Spence Jr. down three times en route to a ninth-round TKO victory.

He became the first male boxer to become an undisputed champion in two divisions, and was swiftly followed by Naoya Inoue, who replicated the feat against Tapales.

Sometimes, boxing can be a crapshoot.

Vergil Ortiz Jr. ostensibly checked all the boxes. He was big, strong, didn’t play around with his food, and got all of his opponents out of there before the sound of the final bell. His placement amongst the rest of his welterweight peers was unambiguous.

Terence Crawford, the division’s top dog, notices everything, including Ortiz. At one point, a matchup between them seemed like a virtual guarantee. But, life isn’t fair, especially in the world of boxing.

With Ortiz struggling with his health and weight, he reluctantly decided to move up. He’ll officially make his junior middleweight debut against Fredrick Lawson this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ortiz knows that he’s expected to win and look good while doing so. But while he’s doing his best to keep both eyes on Lawson, in the back of his mind, he still thinks about Crawford. Although they no longer compete in the same weight class, that doesn’t mean a matchup between them can no longer take place.

“That fight can still happen,” Ortiz told 210 Boxing TV. “That’s an exciting fight.”

Currently, Crawford is somewhere in Omaha, Nebraska, with his feet kicked up and looking back on his 2023. All of the talk surrounding his resume was put on ice the moment he stopped Errol Spence Jr. to become an undisputed champion.

Now, with the 36-year-old solidifying himself as the man to beat at 147 pounds, he’s openly flirted with the idea of moving up in weight. That decision, of course, will be made over time but for now, Crawford is enjoying the superlatives being hurled in his direction.

Ortiz isn’t easily impressed. He also believes that the word great is thrown around too loosely. Crawford though, deserves to be placed in that category.

“He’s one of the top three active fighters right now. He’s a great fighter.”

In an iconic showcase of skill and dominance, Terence Crawford secured victory over Errol Spence Jr. in their long-anticipated super fight in July last year. The T-Mobile Arena witnessed Crawford’s prowess as he sent Spence to the canvas in Round 2 and delivered a relentless two-fisted onslaught in Round 7. The result: Crawford claimed the IBF, WBA, and WBC welterweight titles, adding to his existing WBO belt.

The 35-year-old maestro continued his assault in Round 9, leaving a bloodied and battered Spence. Referee Harvey Dock intervened, halting the one-sided contest at 2 minutes, 32 seconds. The defeat took a toll on Spence Jr, so much so that Bernard Hopkins believes that the boxer would never be the same anymore.

Bernard Hopkins says Errol Spence Jr’s loss took something out of him

Bernard Hopkins talks about how he believes Terence Crawford is the deserving candidate for the 2023 Fighter of the Year. According to Hopkins, one doesn’t need to fight a lot of fights to be the best. One massive bout against a great opponent can do wonders for a fighter. He also talked about the impact of the punishment on Errol Spence Jr, and how he’s taking some time out of the ring because of it.

Terence Crawford, widely recognized as the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer globally, is already gearing up for his next challenge. It will most probably be a rematch against Errol Spence Jr. Despite the one-sided nature of their initial encounter, both fighters are bound by a rematch clause in their contracts. So it’s a crucial stipulation that made the first fight possible. Crawford, speaking to the media, emphasized the contractual commitment to the rematch. However, the date remains uncertain.

Since Showtime has gone under, the venue and time have yet to be determined. Speaking about it, Crawford said, “It’s up in the air because Showtime has decided not to do boxing. Nothing has been noted to me that the fight would not happen. The contract says 147, and that’s where it will be right now. We can decide on 154 or 147.”

So, the rematch between the two boxers might happen soon, and the fans will get to see how Spence Jr will decide to conquer the toughest opponent of his career yet. What are your thoughts about this? Tell us in the comments section

In a long-awaited showdown this past July in Las Vegas, boxing fans witnessed Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. finally lock horns. These welterweight rivals had been circling each other for nearly four years. However, the fight took an unexpected turn. Spence, who many believed would dominate, faced adversity. He suffered three knockdowns, with Crawford displaying superior skill and strategy. By the ninth round, Crawford’s relentless assault led to a decisive stoppage.

This victory made Crawford the first male boxer to hold undisputed titles in multiple weight categories. The fight was a much-desired one for the fans and managed to earn over $55 million with $20 million from the gate itself. Moreover, both Spence and Crawford made $25 million each from the title fight. But things were never the same for Errol Spence Jr. However, the “Truth” is now slowly making his way back to the boxing world. But is the boxing world ready for him?

Errol Spence Jr. returns to social media after months of absence

While Terence Crawford’s fame has known no bounds ever since his victory against Errol Spence Jr. same cannot be said about the latter. Spence Jr. has somehow faded from the spotlight. Moreover, a lot of fans have already counted him out since then and jumped on Crawford’s bandwagon. Even when Spence Jr. called for a rematch not a lot of people had faith in him.

It seems that after some much-needed time off, he is finally ready to make a return. He recently came back to social media as he took to Instagram to share a picture of himself along with a horse at a ranch. The screengrab was reposted to X by an account with the caption, “The welterweight goat is back on social media.” However, the return was not met with the same bang as Spence Jr. would’ve expected.

Fans not impressed with Spence Jr.’s return

As the post went viral on the internet, fans were quick to share their reaction to Spence’s return. One fan shared his prayers for ‘the Truth’. He wrote, “Love the way you are doing things little brother stay up because God knows your heart my brother peace.”

Overall, the fans had more negative than positive things to say about the Truth’s return to social media.