Teofimo Lopez is confident in his victory against Steve Claggett on June 29 at James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida. Brooklyn’s two-division world champion makes the second defense of his WBO super lightweight title against the contender of Canada.
“This event is long overdue,” said 26-year-old Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) at the final pre-fight press conference. “Miami has been great. I did my training camp here preparing for Josh Taylor, and we just thought that we needed to revisit this. I’m in great spirits. So I look forward to it.”
“This guy is no slouch. He has waited 15 years for this opportunity. And now he has it. This is the most important moment of his career. I just need to stick to my game plan and listen to my team. This is going to be a good slugfest. This is going to be a good fight.”
“We know how to get the job done. We know how to get the win. We’re not a two-time lineal champion for no reason. We do this. We face the best fighters in boxing. So, Steve Claggett is going to come to bring it. However, there are levels to this. I look forward to what he brings to the table, and we’ll dissect him from there.”
Steve Claggett said he had been improving fight by fight, and that it was his time to get on top. The Calgary, Alberta native makes his first attempt to win one of four major belts.
“This is something I’ve worked my whole life for,” 35-year-old Claggett (38-7-2, 26 KOs) said. “I feel like I have great momentum right now. It’s the time for me.”
“I don’t really care about what other people say. You can only control your perspective, so I do what I know is right and prepare like I best know. I sacrificed and put in the work.”
“The name of the game is to work on your weaknesses. I’ve made consistent improvements and stayed dedicated. I added all the things I couldn’t do to my game. I’ve been getting better every fight. I feel like I’m progressing more than ever now. It’s a nice time for me.”
In the co-feature, former world champion Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba takes on Brandon Leon Benitez of Mexico at featherweight. Among the Lopez vs Claggett undercard bouts, Nico Ali Walsh of Chicago, Illinois and Sona Akale of Minneapolis, Minnesota square off in a rematch at middleweight.