Hours Before Retiring at Age 25, Teofimo Lopez Earns the Respect of 7x NBA All-Star: “Get Them Issues…Off Him”

It is not common for sports stars to retire in their mid-20s. It becomes even more surprising when a player retires after beating a reigning champion. Thus, when boxing phenom Teofimo Lopez decided to retire after defeating Josh Taylor, it made huge waves recently. The win itself was shocking considering Lopez entered as an underdog. Thus, he drew encouraging responses from across the boards.

An NBA star also pitched in with his thoughts. What did one of the best shooters in the league have to say?

Damian Lillard gives props to Teofimo Lopez

Lopez’s off-the-ring shenanigans are well-documented and have generated critical reactions. His comments during interviews have sparked major controversies. During one of those interviews, he stated that ESPN commentators are biased toward African American fighters.

To make matters further unhinged, he once stated that he wants to kill Josh Taylor. These instances are why NBA All-Star Damian Lillard expressed that if The Takeover remains away from controversies, he can be someone special in the long-term.

Lillard apparently didn’t know that Lopez had retired. But let alone the long-term, it seems like the American boxer has called it quits at the age of just 25. After winning unanimously against The Tartan Tornado, the boxer evidently reached his decision.

If we turn back the clock now, then it can be seen that his comments about Josh Taylor had a bigger context. He said, “I’ll tell you like man, you know why I said I’d kill this man, because I want to die lowkey. At least if I die, I die doing what I love”. Maybe he decided to retire because of his mental state. The actions during these interviews do point to that.

At any rate, the win against Taylor cements Lopez’s place as a WBO welterweight champion. His career lasted for just 20 bouts, and he won 19 of those, losing just once to George Kambosos Jr. 13 of those victories were knockouts. Could he have done much more damage had he continued his boxing journey? Food for thought!

READ More: “Unfortunately, It Doesn’t Matter”: Fans Join Shaquille O’Neal in Reacting to “Absolutely Stacked” Division in Boxing Hours After Teofimo Lopez’s Father Calls Out Gervonta Davis

Interestingly, Lillard’s own path mirrors Lopez’s in some respects.

Lillard has huge decisions to make too

Damian Lillard is also walking a tightrope when it comes to his own career. He has pledged loyalty to the Portland Trail Blazers many times. However, the franchise hasn’t put together a strong squad around him. His teams have usually not made it to the Playoffs and even if they do, they are knocked out early. 

Therefore, his name is getting linked to multiple franchises. He recently denied going to the Celtics if a trade like that comes up. He is 32 at present and a window for a championship in his prime is closing.

Watch This Story: Damian Lillard Drops Massive A Time Bomb On His Future In The League

However, unlike Lopez, it seems unlikely that the Trail Blazers great will retire anytime soon. What direction will he himself take this offseason? Share your predictions for the baller in the comments below!