Former 3-belt lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez is expecting a success of biblical proportions this Saturday when he faces WBO junior welterweight world champion (and former unified 4-belt champ) Josh Taylor in New York.
In a recent interview, Lopez, who, in less then three years, has suffered through the loss of his belts to George Kambosos Jr. and the disintegration of his family via divorce, is comparing his trying experiences to that of Job in the Bible.
“Book of Job…The Book of Job was a man that believed a lot in God, had a lot of faith,” Lopez told Fight Hub TV. “This is where God and the devil made a deal amongst each other to show for one man, on earth. Satan went and said ‘I guarantee you take everything from this man, he will curse you.’ And God said ‘no, he won’t. I believe in him.’ But God did it anyways, took it to see if it’s true or not.
“So he took his kids, his wife, his camels, his sheep, everything you need during those times as a man to live a good wealth life. So, you know, one thing that Job said after everything was taken away from him and people were letting him know what happened to his family, he goes down on his knees. And Satan thinks he’s going to curse God, but he doesn’t. What does he do? He says ‘God giveth, God taketh, blessed be the name of the lord.’ And Satan was mad. Very mad. Extremely mad, because he thought ‘he took everything from you.’
“And this is where I’m at now. I’m like a resurrection of the Book of Job. I look at it like that. Everything’s being taken away from me. When I beat George Kambosos…I beat him, watch it without commentators. But you know something, they took my camels, which was the most prized possession during the times. My camels was the belts, undisputed. Took it away from me. Took my lungs away from me, could be my sheep, right.
“And now it’s at a point where it’s taking my kid away from me. So, and I don’t have no wife now, taking all my earnings, half of my money, maybe more. Took a $300,000 G-Wagon from me that I paid for with my hard earned money. So, this is just the revelation of the Book of Job. I believe…and eventually Job got ten times more than what he lost, because why, because he kept his faith. I’m a big preacher, man. I’m a big believer.”
In another part of the same interview, the 25-year-old Lopez gives Taylor credit as the top dog in the 140 lb. division and, in turn, credit to himself for taking Taylor on.
“He beat Regis Prograis, he beat Ivan Baranchyk, and he’s beaten Jose Ramirez. He went and collected all the belts,” Lopez said.
“The best against the best, and that’s what boxing is all about. In my eyes, no one has beaten Josh Taylor. He’s still technically [undisputed], but people will say what they’re going to say.
“A lot of these fighters talk a good game on the Internet, but in real life, they don’t do it. With the performance that I’m going to put on against Josh Taylor, it’s going to cause a lot of fighters not to want to face me, even the champions.
“Beating Josh Taylor makes me the kingpin of 140.”
Josh Taylor vs. Teofimo Lopez takes place this Saturday, June 10, at Madison Square Garden atop a card broadcast on ESPN/ESPN+.
