This is a tough call to make. Lopez just clearly beat a top 3 P4P fighter without really going into top gears. Josh Taylor is a huge 140 who is clearly the proven number 1 at the weight with plenty amateur experience and professional experience. He has a proven chin, speed, power, combinations, engine. I know he has it all. Previously, I have stated he is better than Loma. I have a feeling this would be a war fought at midrange over a fair number of rounds. I won't stamp it just yet but I'm leaning towards a Taylor KO victory.
What? Are you well? Josh Taylor just won the WBSS. And he's quite large compared to Lopez, if you somehow think Lopez can just stroll up and KO the top guy at 140, your current high is affecting your dopamine levels and is keeping you from thinking straight.
For all Lopez's talent and physical gifts, I'm not convinced he'll be able to take it as well as he can dish it out when he steps up in weight and starts facing opponents his own size. Granted, despite him being a blown up 126 pounder, Loma has actually hurt every 135 pounder he's fought but, as a bunch of his previous opponents said the other day, it's to the body where his real power lies not upstairs. Campbell said he had never been hurt to the body before and Loma obviously dropped and hurt both Linares and the very tough Pedraza with body shots too which AFAIA no other fighter has ever done before. But he actually hurt Lopez with headshots and I've seen the later get wobbled in sparring and chinned badly too. That guy who chinned him is a welter but Lopez walks around heavy and even at 156-160 he still looks stacked and in shape and is clearly a natural 140 at the very least. This content is protected If Taylor, Rougarou, JCR, Ergashev, Zepeda, Khongsong, or a Baranchyk lands flush on that chin it could be lights out.
I’d pick Taylor but after my awful prediction for this fight, my confidence takes a hit. I want to expand but I’ll re-watch Lopez-Loma then feedback on why I pick Taylor and Prograis to beat Lopez as of NOW. 12-18 months, who knows. One thing though, Teo deserves respect for what he’s trying to achieve, wish him well. He shut me up
I'd like to see it. Lopez is at an age where fighters can sometimes come on leaps and bounds, and he just put in a very impressive performance. I'd favour Taylor, but I'm not confident at all.
Hasn't Taylor mentioned moving up in class or did I dream that? I thought there was a suggestion he wouldn't be able to keep making 140 much longer?