By Sean Jones: Teofimo Lopez Sr. claimed last Saturday that his son Teo became undisputed champion BEFORE Canelo Alvarez. At the post-fight press conference, after Canelo defeated Caleb Plant to become the undisputed champion at super middleweight, Teofimo came up on stage with him and posed with his four belts alongside him.
The problem is, Teofimo ISN’T an undisputed champion. He has three true titles along with the WBC Franchise strap.
Many fans were disgusted with Teofimo Jr. posing on stage with Canelo, as he looked like an imposter in their eyes, a fake undisputed champion, posing as if he’s part of a prestigious club.
In the military, they have a label they give to people that pass themselves off as having a rank that they didn’t earn. It’s called “stolen valor.”
It’s unclear what the intent is for Teofimo Sr. to be calling his son the undisputed champion at lightweight, but it sure does look like he’s embellishing his position.
It obviously helps a fighter’s career to be called an undisputed champion, which is why Teofimo Sr. shouldn’t be calling his son that until he earns it.
Unfortunately, Teofimo Jr. isn’t an undisputed champion at 135, as he has three titles along with the WBC Franchise belt, which doesn’t count when designating a fighter an undisputed champion.
It looked bad that Teofimo Sr. was trying to pass off his son as an undisputed champion alongside Canelo. It appeared that Teofimo Sr. was embellishing Teofimo’s credentials by giving him a spot that he hasn’t earned.
For Teofimo Jr. to become undisputed at lightweight, he still needs to beat WBC champion Devin Haney. He’s got the last belt, not in Teofimo’s possession.
Undisputed champions:
- Bernard Hopkins – 2004 Middleweight
- Jermaine Taylor – 2005 Middleweight
- Terence Crawford – 2017 Light Welterweight
- Oleksandr Usyk – 2018 Cruiserweight
- Josh Taylor – 2021 – Light welterweight
- Canelo Alvarez – 2021 – Super Middleweight
Lightweight [135 lbs] division
WBC: Devin Haney
IBF: Teofimo Lopez
WBA: Teofimo Lopez
WBO: Teofimo Lopez
“I didn’t want to tell the whole world about this, but Canelo is going to put all my son’s belts and all his belts right now,” said Teofimo Lopez Sr. to AKHi TV following Alvarez’s win over Caleb Plant last Saturday.
“I don’t give a f*** about Showtime. You know that f**** s***,” said Teofimo Sr. when told that they don’t have Teofimo Jr. listed as being an undisputed champion in the lightweight [135 lbs] division.
“We’re the first two Latinos to make it happen. Listen, I called [Canelo’s trainer] Eddy Reynoso. I really didn’t believe they were going to do it because this is Canelo’s night and I respect that.
“When I called him up, I said, ‘What do you think, Eddy if we bring the belts together?‘ Then he said, ‘That s*** is a good idea. Let’s make it happen.’
“So, they got all the belts right now and we’re going to show them right now at the press conference. Two undisputed champions in different weight divisions because it’s two Latinos doing it,” said Teofimo Sr. in failing to tell the media that his son Teo ISN’T an undisputed champion.
“Two Latinos are doing it, and WE did it first, and we motivate even the greats,” said Teofimo Sr. “My son is not at that level yet. I don’t want to talk like that, but we’re getting there.
“And I was very surprised because I thought this fight was going to end in the eighth or ninth round,” said Teofimo Sr. on Canelo’s fight with Caleb Plant last Saturday night.
“I was wrong by three rounds. He’s [Canelo] the best right now in the world]. That’s what I believe,” said Teofimo Sr.
“Devin Haney has the REAL [WBC] belt. Yes, the one I got [from] beating [Luke] Campbell [on October 31, 2019],” said Vasily Lomachenko to QueenLA earlier this year.