Why fight Vasyl Lomachenko?
The question befuddles Teofimo Lopez, as if he’s being asked why the sun is warm or water is wet. In December, 2019, Lopez knocked out Richard Commey, claiming his most impressive win—and a piece of the 135-pound title with it. Lomachenko, arguably boxing’s pound-for-pound king, owned the other three pieces of the lightweight crown.
“Why would I fight him?” asked Lopez in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “Why wouldn’t I?”
It seems simple, doesn’t it? Two fighters, battling for weight class supremacy. But this is boxing, a sport plagued by warring promoters, greedy fighters and network connections that often serve as convenient excuses for backing out of fights.