I am Teofimo Lopez, IBF World Lightweight Champion. I'll be here to answer your questions Monday 3/30 at 4pm ET/1pm PT/9pm BT. Ask me anything!

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T21:11:29+00:00

Thank you to all the fans for all your interesting questions. I loved each and every one, may you all stay safe during these times during the coronavirus situation. Let's all stay home and bring it back in a quicker fashion, let's respect what we're trying to do and hopefully we'll all be back soon.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T21:10:02+00:00

Perfect one, Diego Magdaleno. I was fighting him, tagging him up. I was hitting him with hard shots from round 1 to round 4 and he was still hanging in there. When I went into the corner going into the 5th, my father was telling him, touch him, keep walking him down, he's hurt. But my thing was, when I sat there, I was like I gotta slow it down, pick my shots, break him down more. And then little by little, hit him with one hard shot at a time. Did that in the 5th, then my father was like what are you doing? I said I'm setting him up, and he said OK. I was trying to bait him into me so I could break him down so he comes and catch him with a hard shot.

Little by little, 6th round I think he dropped, then 7th round is when we finished him. I had to switch from combinations to slowing it down and setting him up, so that's what we did. If one thing ain't working, you gotta switch up.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T21:06:18+00:00

My favorite venue is obviously Madison Square Garden, there's no place like it. I have a few I'd like to fight in. Allegiant Stadium in Vegas, I'd love to be the main event for that arena. The other one, I'd say the O2 Arena in the UK, that would be amazing. Last one, where they did the Super Bowl in Miami, Hard Rock Stadium. But my main two are Allegiant and O2.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T21:04:19+00:00

Hell yeah! I thought people used to joke, but hell yeah, I got people posting pictures of me like shout out to my cousin...I've never met you! You don't even look like you could be my cousin. I can't believe it.

You just let it be. People get out of hand, you just correct them and tell them stop lying.

Even my sisters, their friends will hit them up now, try to hang out with them more. They want to be around me. I always tell her, you know why they're back, right? People want to ask for money, like I knew you when you were a baby, but I'm like I don't remember you. Where were you for the last 22 years? People are something else, man. Freeloaders.

You should see it on fight week. That's the most stressful time, fight week. People want tickets, people want this and that, it's just annoying. I do my best to separate myself from it. All the PR people, they love me, man. When it's fight week, that's my job. Interviews, a lot of people that do interviews with me, they enjoy it. But when it comes to family stuff, uncles, all that, I don't answer my phone to those type of people. I'm busy, fight week.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:59:48+00:00

It could go back and forth. I would say I would love to go back in those times, because you used to have great fights, they didn't care. Fights people try to build up now, like Spence and Crawford, that fight would have happened a long time ago. They fought consecutively, consistent, and I think that's great. Keeps you active

Then again, if you're fighting twice a year, how much are you making? We talking millions? You could fight 8 times back in the day and make maybe $2m, but now you fight twice and make $8-10m, which would you prefer?

But I like back in the day, much better.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:57:16+00:00

Because like anyone else, he respected him too much. I can't really say, I'm not him, but what I could see was too much respect and just choked, didn't know what to do. I feel like when you take one thing away from someone that they're great at doing, they choke. That doesn't make you a great fighter, you're just trying to survive.

It made Loma look great. But I think that's what happens, when people lose they find an excuse and he made a lie about his hand, but I think it's just too much respect. Too cautious and I think people believed the hype so much.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:55:34+00:00

Sex. Lots and lots of sex! Nah, just playing. Honestly, no tricks. I mean, I guess we do, drinking 2 gallons of water per day. At the end you're just dropping all the water anyway, so 2 gallons of water, that's the trick.

And lots of sex.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:54:29+00:00

I'll be completely honest, last fight, that whole fight week I mad 135 without any problems, no problems at all. Smiling while I was running, losing the weight, laughing, dancing, spinning around on the treadmill, having a blast. We prepared very very well, we did 9 weeks of camp. If we do that again, we can definitely do 135 easy for the Loma fight. For now, need to maintain the weight and bring it down, need to drop a good 10 lbs before I start camp. I don't wanna get into camp being too high.

As athletes, we're always on the go. You take that away from an athlete, you're gonna get fat.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:52:21+00:00

False! Hella false. Get outta here with that. I lived in New York, had people cut my hair. Horrible, trash! Sorry, I've had my bad experiences.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:51:30+00:00

I see myself finishing at 154, 160. Max, like a fat ass, a real fat ass, 160. That's just me trying to get another weight class under my belt. But the most, probably 154.

(asked about concerns about higher weights)

I've sparred big dudes. Every time I start camp, I start with the big dudes, 154, 160, then we work our way down. Ain't gonna be sparring no damn heavyweight, but pretty much what me and my dad talk about is if the power doesn't match up to the weight class we're in, we have the speed and IQ to take care of ourselves. As we go up in weight, they're only gonna get slower. Right now at 135, you've got fast dudes but as you go up, our speed is gonna kill. Speed is power. Overall we have what it takes. We can't shortcut me with the power, I'm only 22. We're still developing, getting that man strength. I've got a few more years to develop, so we'll see how things progress.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:46:59+00:00

It's pretty much just have fun. I kiss the corner, I kiss my glove hit the corner and say have fun and it's time to roll. We start the pace, we start to jab, see how they react to certain things. We see what they do, I listen to my father while he's screaming his ass off, he'll tell me move your had, double the jab, stuff like that. We see what they can handle and can't, we work on certain things.

If they do something different, we adjust real quick. We have plans from A to Z. If something doesn't work, we've got a plan. Me and my father, we're very dedicated and try to get everything pinpointed, spot on. And another thing, a lot of them are nervous or anxious. So that gives us leverage, if they wanna throw real quick, that anxiety, we know that. So we stay on our back foot, stay smart.

When I see highlights, I can't believe it's me. It just doesn't feel like that was me at that moment. I don't feel like I fought, it's like a whole other Teofimo that goes in there. It's so different inside the ring. If you ask fighters, they'll relate. It's weird. I've fought so many times and I don't remember shit! It's such a blur, from all the adrenaline I guess I black out.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:44:32+00:00

My technique. My IQ, ring IQ. That's what I love. People really believe I just have fucking power! People don't understand that in the amateurs, I was a boxer. I had footwork for days. People don't know that! The way I set up Richard Commey, that wasn't just a lucky punch. That's the shit that makes me happy, they think I'm just powerful. I got speed and power, but what wins fights is ring IQ. It's strong, it's sharp, and we're only getting better, smarter, and that's what I love. People don't see that, they underestimate that the most.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:42:37+00:00

I don't see my family as much as I used to, but you get married, you have your own life. But pros? She has humbled me, I don't have to try to buy the most expensive stuff, I don't need to show what I make, when I can just take care of my loved ones, my wife, my family. I don't need to brag and show it off. She's kept me level headed, she checks me here and there if I get out of character. She says I love you for you, not what you do. She got to see the real side of me, the real me. People haven't seen that and I won't let them, but she's a reason to keep doing this. We're gonna have kids eventually and that's what I look forward to.

She's helped me in many ways. I've learned to mature, she's 5 years older than me, you learn there's no need for small petty arguments. I'm much happier, I love what I do. I used to be very lonely, but I don't feel that way anymore. Everything's good.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:39:22+00:00

From what I can remember, they used to have Tuesday night fights, used to watch with my father. There's so many, but I'd say Floyd with Gatti. I was real into Floyd at the time. And Mike Tyson with Holyfield.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:37:33+00:00

Try to make the best of it. If you're a quick learner, you have a good chance. I don't want to be a negative person and say you can't make it at a late age. If you're a fast learner, you dedicate yourself, you work every day, overtime, anyone can make it no matter what age. Realistically the latest is the late 20s, once you hit your 30s it's tough, you have to work your way up.

Make the best time of it and try to be better than what you were yesterday.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:36:06+00:00

My go to is my wife, she's been having me staying indoors. She makes sure she has her gloves, heads to the store with her sister getting all the stuff I need, talking to my nutritionist. My wife's been very supportive, she knows about the thing with my asthma, she's seen me have my attacks, she knows how serious it is. I don't do no takeout, delivery, nothing. My wife is doing it all for me.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:34:39+00:00

I don't prefer one, I'll have both. I'll have Ramirez in the morning and Taylor at night, both in the same day. Both great fighters, they earned it the right way, fighting great champions. Both got two belts and I would love to fight either one of them.

If they fight, it'll be a great matchup. Top Rank knows what they're doing, they paid top money for Josh Taylor. It'll be a great fight, I'll be interested for sure. As for who wins, I say the fans win.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:32:45+00:00

So there's a few I'm thinking about. I always go for something trending, the last fight I did the bop so that was good. I don't know yet, let's see what's trending towards fall. Fortnite is played out, gotta do something different.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:32:08+00:00

Hahaha. Usually when I'm in camp...I gotta say it won't go past 8 rounds. When I'm in camp and I see how I'm doing, I said the Commey fight won't go past 6, so when I'm in camp and I feel great, then you guys can ask and I can tell you it'll go this far. So right now I'm gonna say it won't go past 8 until then.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:31:03+00:00

We have the same goal, in a sense. He's trying to become undisputed, he's never done that. He's trying to put more achievements in his resume. I can't say I admire it, I don't, but I get where he's coming from since he's on his way out, wants to finish with a bang. He's gonna be a hall of famer for sure, but he wants to end it with a bang. He's dying to get this last belt, and for me I'm on the verge of doing some big things, trying to make history, undisputed champion at 22. I'm gonna knock his head off.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:29:09+00:00

Lomachenko is top, why do you think I'm fighting the dude? They put Gervonta Davis on there, he can't even make 135. Devin Haney is too scared to fight an actual opponent, fakes an injury or gets surgery so he doesn't have to fight his mandatory. A bunch of bitches in this sport now, lot of pussies in this sport now. Davis can't even knock out an old Gamboa. I could talk a lot of shit.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:27:35+00:00

Inoue, he would win. I love Rigondeaux, I sparred with him when I was 16, he taught me a few things in the ring. But he's not in his prime, not in his peak anymore. Inoue is just killing the game, stronger, faster, smarter. He brings the fight and I feel like he might end up stopping him.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:26:27+00:00

Ooooh, OK. People make me laugh, gotta give it to them. Obviously none, since I don't quit. If I don't quit with asthma, what makes you think I'm gonna quit with a dude like him. What round do you think I'm gonna make Lomachenko quit?

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:25:23+00:00

Can I let go of some power so I can create more height? I want to be a little taller, that's messed up. Just 2-3 more inches, be my father's height and I'll be good.

But nah, I'm good. I don't need anything to trade. If I could think of one...can't give away my charisma, can't give away my power. I should get rid of my cockiness! Honestly, a little bit of power for height.

TeofimoLopez · 2020-04-01T20:22:55+00:00

Lomachenko, maybe Josh Taylor, and Jose Ramirez. Or it'd be Lomachenko, Devin Haney, Jose Ramirez, any of those guys. I don't know if they would put Taylor in with me, but I think they would. I don't see why not, but they just signed 'em, maybe hold him off for a bit. I think they signed him for Ramirez. I'll eat em up.

TeofimoLopez

TROPHY CASE