After numerous failed attempts, Teofimo Lopez will finally get the opportunity to defend his IBF, WBA (Super), WBO and The Ring lightweight titles against mandatory contender, George Kambosos Jr.
The pair were originally booked to meet June 19th, but the Miami fight was postponed after Lopez delivered a positive COVID-19 test. Another failed attempt to bring the pair of undefeated fighters together in August fell through as COVID restrictions further complicated the naming of a new venue.
With the IBF ruling that the fight must take place prior to October 17th in a location that does not require the fighters to quarantine, Triller decided to take the show to the Big Apple for an October 4th bout at Madison Square Garden.
Odds makers have opened Teofimo “The Takeover” Lopez as a four-digit favorite for the fight, with sportsbooks offering the defending champion at -1000 to win under the same lights where he won his first title as a -400 favorite over Richard Commey.
After being the heavy odds favorite for six consecutive fights, Lopez got his first true test as the underdog last October when he faced Vasyl Lomachenko as a +260 dog. Lopez went on to defeat the former world champion by unanimous decision in a fight where he landed more punches (50 of 98) than any of Lomachenko’s previous opponents.
Lopez denied Lomachenko a rematch, setting the table for the Kambosos matchup. As mentioned, Lopez’ COVID complications and venue disputes now see the American entering the ring for the first time in nearly a year.
George Kambosos Jr. will make the long flight from Australia in hopes of becoming the country’s 29th boxing champion. At +550, the Australian comes in as a sizable underdog, but Australian bookies are expecting the local audience to pile on the hometown hero.
Australia Casino's Sports Betting Manager Brad King has compared this bout to the storied 2017 match between Jeff Horn and Manny Pacquiao. In that contest, the local Aussie, Horn, stunned the Brisbane crowd with a unanimous decision victory.
“A Kambosos victory would certainly go down as one of the biggest sporting achievements by an Australian athlete, and would be the best boxing triumph in the sport’s history for an Australian on foreign soil,” King notes about the upcoming match.
The 19-0 fighter is known to have quick hands and a reliable jab, oftentimes backing his opponent into the corner with his technical footwork. This approach can make him look like the aggressor, but it has seen him unknowingly get within range of his opponent’s reach and leave himself exposed to counters.
Conditioning is key to Kambosos' late round pace that allows him to outlast many opponents. Despite this advantage in stamina, Brad King points out that the odds indicate Lopez's quick reflexes are favored in this case.
His last fight saw him go the distance in the defeat of former IBF featherweight champ Lee Selby via split decision, a win that he earned as a short -140 favorite.
The challenger also packs knockout power, with 10 of his 19 wins coming by way of KO.
Ultimately Lopez is the stronger fighter, and his technical skills outmatch those of his opponent. Based on previous performances, Lopez brings a better game plan to the ring that allows him to quickly move in and out of range of his opponents where he can deploy his powerful and accurate attack.
As he proved against Lomachenko, Lopez outmatched the champ’s stamina and power on route to victory. Barring any rust, we should see a similar result October 4th.
All of this being said, we must remember that this fight has now been scheduled more than three times, with both fighters having gone through complete camps, only to have uncertain timelines presented again and again.
The more disciplined fighter is going to win this fight, and the weighins might offer sports bettors the best opportunity to see which fighter comes in prepared and who comes in soft. Just as UFC fighters develop cage rust, the extended time out of the ring could have one or both fighters out of optimal condition. One can help but feel that this balances the odds out somewhat, potentially setting the stage for an upset.
