A fight few probably really cared if they saw became the epic fight that wouldn’t happen.

Remember the social media carnival that was Triller winning a purse bid? The promotional outfit probably wishes they could forget. We’ve had Lopez getting COVID, a doomed attempt to put the fight against Monday Night Football, and now we arrive, finally, on Saturday night (DAZN, 8 PM EST).

Teofimo Lopez was red hot when last we saw him, coming off big wins over Richard Commey and Vasyl Lomachenko. Only 24, this lost year won’t mean much in the grand scheme of things once Lopez gets back in the ring.

Lopez just has to keep winning.

Kambosos has had to wait just as long as Lopez and has a chance to explode onto the world stage in what would be a big upset. Can Kambosos pull it off?

Let’s get into it. 

Stats and Stakes

Teofimo Lopez

Age: 24

Title: IBF lightweight (2019-Present, 1 Defense); Lineal World/TBRB/Ring/WBA/WBO/WBC “Franchise” Lightweight (2020-Present, 1st Attempted Defense)

Previous Titles: None

Height: 5’8 

Weight: 135 lbs.

Stance: Orthodox

Hails from: Brooklyn, New York

Record: 16-0, 12 KO

Record in Major Title Fights: 2-0, 1 KO

Last Five Opponents: 123-7 (.946)

Notable Outcomes, Ring/TBRB Rated Foes: Richard Commey TKO2; Vasyl Lomachenko UD12 

Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: None

Vs.

George Kambosos

Age: 28

Title/Previous Titles: None

Height: 5’9 ½  

Weight: 134 ¼ lbs.

Stance: Orthodox

Hails from: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Record: 19-0, 10 KO

Press Rankings: #8 (TBRB, Ring), #9 (ESPN) 

Record in Major Title Fights: 1st Title Opportunity

Last Five Opponents: 103-17-4 (.847)

Notable Outcomes, Ring/TBRB Rated Foes: None 

Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: Mickey Bey SD10; Lee Selby SD12

The Pick: Kambosos has some tools to work with Saturday. The challenger has a good counter left hook, a snappy right uppercut, and has shown some motor. The problem for Kambosos will be Lopez’s tools. Lopez is quicker, has shown vastly superior power, and appears to have better feet. Lopez also has an excellent power jab to keep anyone wary. Without fighting changing power to keep Lopez at bay, it’s hard to see this going any way but progressively downhill once the bell rings. Kambosos could give a good account but eventually Lopez gets to him. The pick is Lopez by stoppage.   

Rold Picks 2021: 41-12

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com