By Adam Baskin: Sandor Martin is able to make historical past on Saturday evening by sending Teofimo Lopez right down to his second profession defeat to place himself able to problem WBC gentle welterweight champion Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis.
Martin (40-2, 13 KOs) has already sized the previous unified light-weight champion Teofimo (17-1, 13 KOs) and believes he’s acquired the beating of him tomorrow evening when the 2 140-pounders headline on ESPN at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York.
Martin, 29, says he doesn’t charge Teofimo as being in the identical league as former four-division world champion Mikey Garcia, a fighter he despatched into retirement final 12 months in October after outboxing the once-great champ in a one-sided method.
Teofimo, 25, has come throughout as a confused particular person within the build-up to Saturday’s struggle, rambling and sounding like he was repeating psycho-babble that he’d both learn or been informed to him.
One will get the sense from listening to Teofimo communicate, he’s a deeply troubled fighter, nonetheless making an attempt to make sense of what occurred to him in his loss to George Kambosos Jr.
It’s clear that the success that Teofimo loved at 135 was a results of a mixture of weak opposition and his having a measurement benefit over his opponents. Teo was capable of get away with that for some time, however as soon as his physique might now not soften right down to 135 for him to bully smaller foes, he was crushed.
If Teofimo loses to Martin on Saturday, it’ll be attention-grabbing to see if he follows Mikey Garcia into retirement. Sticking round to proceed combating will certainly see Teofimo undergo extra defeats as a result of if he can’t hack it in opposition to Sandor and Kambosos, it means he’s not geared up to swim with the sharks at 135 or 140.
If Prime Rank chooses to dump Teofimo, maybe BLK Prime would possibly decide to signal him to a brief contract as a result of they appear to be focusing on fading fighters.
Returning to 135 to renew being a weight bully isn’t a practical possibility for Teofimo as a result of he’s outgrown the division.
“I really feel good. I really feel good in preparation for the final three weeks. It’s particular for me to struggle at Madison Sq. Backyard,” mentioned Sandor Martin to Fighthype forward of Saturday’s struggle with Teofimo Lopez.
“I’ll struggle tomorrow for the followers. It’s a particular alternative. It’s my second to make historical past,” Martin mentioned. “The Mikey Garcia struggle was completely completely different. Teofimo is in his prime, and I settle for the problem.
“I’m going to win this struggle 100%. No,” mentioned Sandor when requested if he views Teofimo as a greater fighter than Mikey Garcia. “Pay attention, Mikey Garcia is a 4 division world champion. That’s actually tough sport of boxing.
“Teofimo misplaced in opposition to Kambosos. You may’t evaluate the profession of Mikey Garcia. “I really feel relaxed. It’s not an issue. I take pleasure in this second. It’s a part of boxing. It’s a part of the present enterprise.
“I’m assured in my thoughts and my coronary heart. That’s a very powerful factor for a fighter. My coronary heart & my thoughts is larger than the guts & the thoughts of Teofimo. I’m going to point out tomorrow at Madison.
“Regis Prograis is the subsequent. I win the world title; it’s my dream. I’m going to be the world champion in the future, however not tomorrow. Tomorrow is to get nearer to being the world champion,” mentioned Martin.