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OXON HILL, MD – JULY 19: Teofimo Lopez has his hand raised after his lightweight IBF World Title Elimination fight against Masayoshi Nakatani (not pictured) at The Theater at MGM National Harbor on July 19, 2019 in Oxon Hill, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
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OXON HILL, MD – JULY 19: Teofimo Lopez has his hand raised after his lightweight IBF World Title Elimination fight against Masayoshi Nakatani (not pictured) at The Theater at MGM National Harbor on July 19, 2019 in Oxon Hill, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Teofimo Lopez is one of boxing’s newest superstars. At just 23, Lopez has conquered the lightweight division and sits atop with all four belts. Furthermore, the world champion has the personality of a superstar boxer to back it up.
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The early success for ‘The Takeover’ means we could see him dominate the professional game for a long time. Already a P4P star, Lopez could solidify his legacy in the sport by moving up a division. But how did it all start for Teofimo Lopez?
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OXON HILL, MD – JULY 19: Teofimo Lopez celebrates with his corner after his lightweight IBF World Title Elimination fight against Masayoshi Nakatani (not pictured) at The Theater at MGM National Harbor on July 19, 2019 in Oxon Hill, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
The 16-0 boxer explained how he got into boxing at just six. He said, “I was six years old when I started boxing – I’ve basically been doing it my whole life. My father was going to the gym just to train for himself and he would always take me with him.”
“He would have to leave and told the coach, ‘I’ve got to do some things and park the car, and I’ll be back in 10 minutes.’ So, the coach grabbed me and had me hit the pads and everything – I caught everything real quick! I believe that I was born with it. Then, when my father came back, he seen me hitting the pads and he was amazed, like, ‘Whoa!’ And that’s when he took over training me. He just focused on me then.”
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Teofimo Lopez and his father: A successful combination
The comments from Lopez showed that boxing came naturally to him at a young age. Moreover, it revealed that his father’s interest in the sport got him hooked. And since then, his father, Teofimo Lopez Sr. has been coaching ‘The Takeover.’
The pair have enjoyed a successful journey thus far. After heaps of success in the amateur scene under his father’s tutelage, Lopez turned pro in 2016. Since then, he has fought his way to the top and earned a shot against the top dog, Vasyl Lomachenko.
The Lomachenko bout was the biggest turning point for Lopez and his father. Despite being an underdog, the American beat the Ukrainian. As a result, Lopez secured the ‘fighter of the year,’ while his father took home the ‘trainer of the year’ award.
Therefore, Lopez started at just six under the guidance of his father, and the pair have never looked back since. Only time will tell how far ‘The Takeover’ will reach.
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