Unified welterweight world champion Jaron Ennis is reportedly set to welcome Teofimo Lopez to the 147 ranks later this year. Hall of Fame fighter Tim Bradley has weighed in on how it might play out.
‘Boots’ Ennis is coming off a career-best performance against Eimantas Stanionis to add the WBA belt to the IBF he has held since late 2023.
Lopez – who was previously unified at lightweight and is now champion at super-lightweight – recently outclassed Arnold Barboza Jr in New York to keep hold of his belt. He has made no secret of looking to move up another division, and Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh has made it clear he wants that to happen against Ennis this year.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bradley warned Ennis and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, to avoid Teofimo Lopez even despite it would be the latter’s debut in the division in which ‘Boots’ has been dominating.
“Y’all gonna think I’m crazy. Boots Ennis better leave Teofimo Lopez alone. I’m telling y’all. Leave that boy alone. He a real one. I know all that racist rants and stuff, that’s one thing, but I’m talking about boxing. And I’m here to tell y’all he got what it takes to beat Boots Ennis.
“The two most athletic fighters in the game. Damn, if they was to go head to head. Yeah, Boots got all the attributes, the height, the long arms. But you know who’s got the timing? That’s Teofimo Lopez. Who was the last athletic guy that Boots fought? Karen? Don’t think that Boots gonna be able to outpunch him. Go back and watch the Claggett fight, Teofimo got lungs too. He threw almost 1000 punches in that fight.
“Boots, all those lapses you be having, you ain’t gonna be able to have them with Teofimo Lopez. That dude is on his game. When his mind’s right, it’s hard to beat that dude. Explosive, smart, high IQ as well as you do. I’m letting you know, Eddie Hearn if you’re listening, if you don’t want your guy to get beat, stay away from Teofimo Lopez.”
The fight could take place in August in Saudi Arabia, with talks ongoing.
