Teofimo Lopez, despite being the third fight on the card scheduled for New York City, grabbed headlines by slapping his opponent, Arnold Barboza Jr., during a tense faceoff on Monday.
Lopez, known for his outspoken nature, engaged in a verbal back-and-forth with Barboza at the pre-fight press conference. However, the situation escalated when they met for the staredown. Barboza initiated the physical altercation by knocking off Lopez’s cowboy hat, leading to pushing and shoving between the two boxers.
Oscar De La Hoya attempted to separate the fighters, but his efforts were unsuccessful in preventing the clash.
In a moment of intense confrontation, Lopez slapped Barboza before security intervened, physically lifting Barboza away from Lopez to prevent a full-blown fight from breaking out on stage. Lopez continued to shout as Barboza was moved away.
While this faceoff was the most explosive, Ryan Garcia and his opponent Rolly Romero also faced off, though it was less dramatic. The same can be said for Devin Haney and Jose Ramirez, who also met on stage to promote the upcoming event.
This major boxing event is scheduled to take place in New York City and features a high-profile card. If Garcia and Haney are both victorious, they are expected to have a rematch, following the controversial outcome of their first fight where Garcia’s win was overturned due to a positive drug test.
