Boxing

Teofimo Lopez Goes Back-And-Forth With Ryan Garcia & Arnold Barboza At Press Conference

Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, Rolando Romero, Jose Ramirez and Arnold Barboza Jr. took part in a press conference for the May 2nd card at Times Square.
Nathaniel Marrero|
Teofimo Lopez (black/gold/red trunks) and Jamaine Ortiz (black trunks) box during their WBO Junior Welterweight World Title bout at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
Teofimo Lopez (black/gold/red trunks) and Jamaine Ortiz (black trunks) box during their WBO Junior Welterweight World Title bout at Michelob ULTRA Arena. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Teofimo Lopez wasn't making many friends at the press conference on Tuesday for the historic Times Square card on May 2nd.

Lopez, the WBO and The Ring junior welterweight champion, found himself in verbal exchanges with his opponent, Arnold Barboza Jr. and Ryan Garcia. Garcia was particularly annoyed by Lopez's antics throughout the press conference and said that they're going to fight at some point.

"We don't give a f*** what you are," Garcia said to Lopez. "We don't give a f*** bro. I'm tired of hearing this s***... We're gonna run that 100 percent."

Lopez vs. Barboza Jr. is part of a stacked card on May 2nd that will also feature Garcia vs. Rolando Romero and Devin Haney vs. Jose Ramirez at Times Square in New York.

Barboza Jr. (32-0, 11 KOs) is the WBO interim champion after his split decision victory over Jack Catterall on Feb. 15. He and Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) didn't waste much time trading verbal barbs in what was a relatively tame press conference. Barboza Jr. called out Lopez, saying that he had ducked him earlier in his career and becoming an undisputed champion at lightweight and winning a junior welterweight belt against injured opponents.

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"He's 32-0 and just got an interim title," Lopez said. "At 15 fights I just got my first world title and I won it at Madison Square Garden and then became undisputed at 16 fights and I'm only 27.

"You want to woof and talk like you're big and bad bro fighting an injured [Vasiliy Lomachenko] and an injured [Josh Taylor,]" Barboza said. "I'm taking that Ring Magazine [belt.]"

Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and Ramirez are both looking to bounce back from their last outings. Haney is a former two-division champion, including being the undisputed lightweight champion and is coming off of a loss turned no contest against Garcia on April 20 after he failed multiple drug tests for the performance-enhancing drug Ostarine. Ramirez is coming off of a unanimous decision loss to Barboza Jr on Nov. 16.

"At the end of the day, I fought somebody on PEDs," Haney said. "That's how that fight was, but we move forward and now the world wants to see what Devin Haney is gonna show up. I'll look to give everybody those answers on May 2nd."

The bout will be the first for both Haney and Ramirez at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds. For Ramirez, he believes moving up seven pounds will pay dividends for him against Haney.

"I think people underestimate my speed and power," Ramirez said. "I'm ready to put it together. I'm excited and you thought I was strong at 140, just watch me at 147."

Garcia and Romero's careers were tied together long before they fight on May 2nd. The two shared a contentious sparring session when they were young prospects, which helped catapult Romero's career as he rose through the pro ranks. Fast forward eight years later and now they're now going to fight for a WBA belt in the welterweight division.

The bad blood between the two has seemingly subsided between them for the time being. Romero (16-3, 13 KOs) noted the difference between sparring and an actual fight and that we'll see the difference on May 2nd.

"It's just sparring," Romero said. "We're gonna see in the real fight in the ring on May 2nd and we're gonna make it a big fight. We're gonna make it one of the biggest fights in U.S. history."

For Garcia, a win along with Haney defeating Ramirez would set up a rematch later in the year. Still, with what could potentially lie ahead, he's not looking past Romero.

"I'm here to do my job and set up that rematch," Garcia said. "I'm not overlooking him at all. I know that he's going to come to fight. This is a big opportunity on the main stage so I gotta be sharp and prepare."

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Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

Nathaniel Marrero is a writer for the Boxing, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Ravens On SI sites. He's also written for the Orlando Sentinel and MLB.com, and was a part of UCF's sports show, Hitting The Field. He attended UCF and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023. Twitter/X: Nate_Marrero

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