Things were not as heated as it was expected to be at the kickoff presser for the upcoming “Fatal Fury” card set for May 2 in Times Square, New York. Teofimo Lopez – the WBO junior welterweight titleholder – decided the event lacked excitement and went off on a tirade, calling the proceedings “boring,” which quickly led to an exchange with Ryan Garcia. The others in attendance, including Devin Haney, barely said a word.
Lopez, who kept referring to himself as the “champion” and praising his status as Ring Magazine’s belt-holder, poked fun at how polite everyone was being. Garcia, who’d had enough of Teo’s brash self-promotion, snapped back with some choice language, insisting they keep the vibe more cordial. The banter escalated, with Teo basically complaining that nobody was “talking s&$t,” and Garcia firing back that they didn’t care about Teo’s status.
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This dust-up appears to be Teofimo’s attempt at injecting some drama into what he considered a dull press conference. He argued the fighters were too respectful and “hadn’t even put the tip in yet” with any real trash talk. Whether fans side with his approach or prefer a calm, business-like tone, there’s no denying Teo brought a jolt of energy.
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Image Credit: DAZN