Terence Crawford took aim at Teofimo Lopez after Lopez's lackluster victory over Jamaine Ortiz in a junior welterweight bout that left boxing fans shocked. The unified welterweight champion from Omaha, Nebraska, openly expressed his satisfaction at Lopez's performance, highlighting his own views on boxing strategy and criticizing Lopez's tactics.
The bout, which took place during Super Bowl week at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, was criticized for its lack of action, with neither Lopez nor Ortiz showing much offensive aggression. Lopez, in particular, was visibly frustrated with Ortiz's defensive approach, repeatedly urging him to engage more. Ortiz, who fought in a southpaw stance throughout the match, won on scorecards with scores of 117-113, 115-113, and 115-113.
“Talk all that sh!t about me and lost,” Crawford wrote. “Like I told him focus on who you fighting not me. @Teofimo Lopez back to the drawing board you go[,] chump.”
“Catch weight what?” Crawford continued. “This guy is crazy, but he knows what’s up he just trying to use my name for promotion.”
“He got a gift and he know it that’s why he crying.”
The fight drew comparisons to Lopez's previous bout against Sandor Martin in December 2022, where Martin's southpaw style posed challenges for Lopez. Crawford, known for his outspokenness, took to social media to criticize Lopez's performance, reminding him to focus on his opponents rather than engaging in verbal sparring with Crawford. Lopez, emotional after his victory, called out Crawford in a post-fight interview, suggesting a potential fight at a catchweight.
Crawford responded by dismissing Lopez's comments as a promotional tactic, questioning Lopez's understanding of the sport, and suggesting that Lopez was aware of receiving a favorable decision. Despite Lopez's self-assessment of a "10/10" performance, Crawford disagreed, emphasizing the difference between boxing and brawling in his response.
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