A potential boxing match between Teofimo Lopez and Jaron Ennis appears to be moving closer to reality, as discussions between their teams are reportedly underway.
Speculation about this anticipated fight, possibly scheduled for late this year, intensified after Lopez, the WBO super-lightweight champion, hinted at moving up to the welterweight division (147 lbs).
Lopez, known as ‘The Takeover’, recently defended his title convincingly against Arnold Barboza Jr., winning by unanimous decision after controlling most rounds.
However, prior to that win, a couple of less impressive outings against Jamaine Ortiz and Steve Claggett had somewhat diminished the perception of his status among boxing`s elite.
Performances like his impressive victories over Vasyl Lomachenko and Josh Taylor had previously placed Lopez on many fans` pound-for-pound lists.
Now, the 27-year-old seems focused on becoming a three-division world champion, aiming to showcase his skills and remind the boxing world of his capabilities.
Meanwhile, Jaron Ennis secured the WBA world welterweight title last month by stopping Eimantas Stanionis in the sixth round, a victory that also saw him defend his IBF belt.
It was a dominant and skillful performance that solidified Ennis, nicknamed ‘Boots’, as a top-tier pound-for-pound fighter. He is now targeting the undisputed welterweight championship.
However, with other champions like Mario Barrios and Brian Norman Jr having their next fights lined up, the 27-year-old Ennis may need to explore other opponents.
One potential option, though perhaps less exciting, is a mandatory defense against Shakhram Giyasov, who has been waiting for his title shot.
Should Ennis and Lopez finalize a deal, Giyasov would likely need to agree to delay his mandatory challenge – possibly by accepting a step-aside payment – for Ennis to keep his WBA title and pursue the Lopez fight.
Regardless of the opponent, Lopez has already started applying public pressure on Ennis to agree to terms.
Lopez posted on X yesterday, stating: “They’re playing mind games on you [Ennis]; don’t listen to them and agree to the terms!”
