The qualifier about being mentally proper offers Lopez Sr. with a handy excuse at any time when his son struggles. The sharp performances get credited to the true Teofimo. The flat outings get blamed on emotional distractions, an uncooperative opponent, a tough weight lower, or different exterior elements.
That inbuilt safety vanishes in opposition to Romero on Saturday at T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas. Teofimo is making his welterweight debut with seven additional kilos accessible after leaving 140 behind. If boiling down drained him beforehand, the elite model ought to present up now.
Romero brings the type of energy that may wreck the complete declare. He seemed bodily imposing in opposition to Ryan Garcia, scoring a second-round knockdown and touchdown the stronger punches all through the bout. Teofimo is going through a naturally thicker fighter who hits exhausting and won’t be intimidated by his hand velocity.
It’s scary to contemplate what pure junior middleweights and middleweights would do to Teofimo. His father treats quickness like an computerized equalizer in opposition to bigger, stronger punchers. Teofimo will not be a busy operator who dominates complete rounds behind a gradual jab. He usually appears for single counter photographs, resets slowly, and grows annoyed when opponents refuse to commerce within the pocket.
Greater punchers at 154 and 160 would capitalize on these lulls by reducing off the ring, crowding Teofimo, and bullying him to the ropes. Shifting into larger divisions is not going to grant him sudden knockout energy or higher punch resistance. The photographs coming again will carry significantly extra power.
Teofimo typically performs greatest in opposition to aggressive opponents who come ahead to commerce, which implies Romero will provide openings. The difficulty begins if Teofimo pauses too usually, fires single punches, or will get flustered beneath heavy stress. Romero possesses the bodily power to power the motion and maintain him on his heels.
A defeat in his first bout at 147 kilos would punch a gap by his father’s declare earlier than the fantasies about 154 and 160 even start. The excuse of constructing 140 kilos is gone. Teofimo has the seven-pound cushion his father wished. He should defeat Romero earlier than anybody takes this discuss of conquering junior middleweight and middleweight significantly.
