Masayoshi Nakatani exposed the first major cracks in 2019. The tall Japanese contender refused to fold and repeatedly disturbed Lopez with his jab and reach. Lopez won a unanimous decision, but the wide scores concealed how badly he was crumbling as the fight progressed.
Nakatani lacked the aggression required to capitalize fully. A little more ambition might have turned a difficult night into something far worse for Lopez. Instead, Teofimo escaped with the decision and followed the performance with excuses about Nakatani’s height and personal distractions.
Vasiliy Lomachenko produced a similar reaction during their 2020 fight. Teofimo banked the early rounds while Lomachenko remained cautious, hesitant to throw punches with an injured right shoulder. When Lomachenko began pressing and letting his hands go during the second half, Teofimo’s control disappeared.
The younger, larger, stronger fighter suddenly looked lost against an injured opponent coming after him. Lopez recovered with a strong 12th round and had already done enough to win, but Lomachenko’s late pressure exposed how differently Teofimo operates when someone takes command.
The same weakness was there against less-known opposition. Sandor Martin dropped Lopez and frustrated him with counters. Steve Claggett forced him backward through physical pressure. Jamaine Ortiz troubled him with something more than movement.
Jamaine repeatedly stepped forward, unloaded lightning-fast four-punch combinations, and moved before the slower Teofimo could land a shot. Ortiz gave up too much ring space during the second half, which likely cost him the decision, but he still continued scoring with rapid bursts through the final bell.
Tim Cheatham and David Sutherland scored it 115-113 for Lopez. Steve Weisfeld’s 117-111 card failed to reflect the competitiveness of the fight.
The move to 140 pounds has sapped much of Teofimo’s punching power. His only stoppage in seven appearances at the weight came against journeyman Pedro Campa. Martin, Josh Taylor, Jamaine, Claggett, and Arnold Barboza Jr. all went the distance. Shakur Stevenson then dominated Lopez over 12 rounds. That power should lose even more steam at 147 against a naturally larger opponent.
Rolly looked enormous against Ryan Garcia and carried something close to junior middleweight power in his punches. Ryan felt it early, suffered a knockdown, and spent much of the fight concentrating on survival. No current welterweight has shown the same type of punching strength. Andy Hiraoka may rival it at 140, but he competes in a different division.
If that version of Rolly returns Saturday, Teofimo will have to fight cautiously and avoid prolonged exchanges. The trouble is that Lopez’s confidence has repeatedly disintegrated after opponents hurt him, pressure him, or refuse to respect his offense.
Fighting merely to survive might keep Teofimo upright, as it did Ryan, but it would probably cost him the decision. Oliver’s “mentally fragile” description may become the defining factor once Lopez realizes his punches cannot keep Rolly away.
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