Negotiations for a potential fight between Teofimo Lopez and Jaron Ennis appear to be progressing, bringing the two champions seemingly closer to a showdown.
The prospect of this much-discussed clash, tentatively targeted for later this year, gained momentum after WBO world super-lightweight champion Lopez hinted at a move up to the welterweight division at 147lbs.
Lopez, known as ‘The Takeover,’ recently defended his title in a dominant performance against Arnold Barboza Jr., controlling most rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory.
However, prior to that fight, a series of less-than-spectacular outings against Jamaine Ortiz and Steve Claggett had somewhat diminished the perception of his elite status.
This was in contrast to his earlier, scintillating victories over Vasyl Lomachenko and Josh Taylor, performances that had placed Lopez high on many fans’ pound-for-pound lists.
Now, the 27-year-old seems focused on becoming a three-division world champion and, by doing so, reminding the boxing community of his undeniable talent.
Meanwhile, Jaron Ennis secured the WBA world welterweight title last month (while also defending his IBF strap) by defeating Eimantas Stanionis via a sixth-round stoppage.
It was a powerful and skillful display that largely cemented ‘Boots’ Ennis`s position as a top pound-for-pound fighter, with the American now setting his sights on unifying the welterweight division.
However, with fellow champions like Mario Barrios and Brian Norman Jr having planned fights, Ennis (also 27) may need to consider other potential opponents.
One such alternative could be a less anticipated matchup against his WBA mandatory challenger, Shakhram Giyasov, who has been waiting in line for his title opportunity.
Nevertheless, should Ennis finalize a deal to face Lopez instead, Giyasov would likely need to agree to further delay his shot – potentially by accepting a step-aside fee – for Ennis to keep the WBA belt.
Regardless of the other options, Lopez has already begun publicly pressuring Ennis to sign the contract for their fight.
Yesterday, Lopez posted on X (formerly Twitter), directly urging Ennis:
“They’re playing mind games on you [Ennis]; don’t listen to them and agree to the terms!”
