Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr Preview: Start Time, How To Watch, Keys To Victory

A historic, never-before-seen boxing event is happening this weekend, and the main card starts out with a bang.

Teofimo Lopez will defend his WBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight titles against undefeated contender Arnold Barboza Jr. on Friday at Times Sqaure in New York. Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) will make his third defense of his belts, while Barboza Jr. (32-0, 11KOs) is looking to shock the boxing world.

Both boxers have arguably had the most bad blood and confrontations in the build up to the Fatal Fury Times Square fight card, with both taking jabs at each other at press conferences. The champion even slapped the challenger at the Los Angeles press conference in March.

"This gonna be my easiest fight, my last four fights this is the easiest fight," Barboza said. "Slap that clown around is what I'm gonna do."

"I got less fights than this man and I got more world titles," Lopez said. "Now you my mandatory and you've been fighting washed fighters."

For Lopez, the WBO and Ring Magazine champion, a win vs. Barboza Jr. solidifies his top position at 140 lbs, and sets up a possible unification bout between himself and IBF champion Richardson Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs). For Barboza, a win would not only make him the new WBO and Ring Magazine champion, but it would also catapult him to a larger audience and create more lucrative opportunities.

Keys To Victory

Teofimo Lopez

Cut angles, Use movement to set up explosive shots

One thing Lopez excels at in all of his fights is his ability to cut angles and catch his opponents with shots they do not see coming. To take away the nearly four inch reach advantage of Barboza, the champion will have to move in-an-out of the challenger's linear vision, to explode with those athletic, jumping hooks and uppercuts he likes to throw.

If Barboza stands in his usual tall and conventional stance, Lopez could take advantage by leaping into some inside fighting, landing power shots. And with the challenger's long upper body frame, there's plenty of opportunities to consistently change levels targeting the body and head.

Not only would Lopez's movement make Barboza overthink, but it could also slow down his reaction time as he would have to constantly be turning over to get the champion back in front of him.

Neutralize the jab

Barboza has a very solid and fundamental style, that all starts behind the jab. His lead hand along with his timing creates a very frustrating matchup for his opponents. What results is a fight where Barboza dictates the tempo.

With Lopez having the speed, athletic advantage, the 27-year-old could stop the jab in ways the challenger could not be expecting. The champion could use his quick first step to throw in traffic with Barboza, creating the opportunity to land punches that he can't see coming.

Lopez is also one of the more crafty boxers today, innovating and fighting in sort of a flow-state. Against Pedro Campa, he landed a hook to the arm while Campa was throwing a jab, to shorten the lead hand and throw a flush counter. Creativity like that is something that Barboza has yet to see, and could be a major advantage.

.@TeofimoLopez is the greatest showman for a reason 😮‍💨🍿 pic.twitter.com/pXmWAhAuMv
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) April 27, 2025

MORE: Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr Betting Odds And Fight Prediction

Arnold Barboza Jr.

Wait for Lopez to come to you

Lopez tends to attack once he sees his opponent become reactionary to his presence in the pocket. However, Barboza's ability to stay in a tight guard and limit mistakes could prove to be the kryptonite for the champion.

The 33-year-old challenger tends to stay patient to force his opponent to make the first move. He also stays in range to keep the threat of his jab going, which makes for tricky puzzle to solve. Combine that with his constant feints, Barboza keeps you guessing the entire fight.

Limit exchanges, slow down the fight

Lopez is a very explosive boxer and when he gets into a rhythm, he's very hard to contain. Barboza will need to neutralize the champion's movement from round one. One way he could do that is slowing the tempo down in the fight.

Barboza's jab remains constant throughout the fight, whether he's setting up to push forward or just to keep his opponent at his range. His lead hand could be a key factor in Lopez's staying in first gear, and making it a very uneventful bout for the champion.

Here is how to watch Lopez vs. Barboza Jr. and the rest of the card on Friday night.

Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr. fight date

Date: Friday, May 2, 2025

Teofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr. will take place on May 2, 2025.

Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr. start time

Time: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

Teofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr. will take place on 9 PM ET or 6 PM PT.

How to watch Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr.

TV/ Stream: DAZN PPV

Teofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr. will be available on DAZN PPV.

Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr location

Location: Times Square, New York

Teofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr. will take place at Times Square in New York.