“Ryan Garcia, the winner, Conor Benn, Ryan Garcia, that’s what’s going straight right there,” Teofimo Sr. said to Fight Hub TV. “And then if Liam Paro is still around or whoever else it is, man, we’re just going to try to take over the weight division at 147, become undisputed again.”
The trainer made his interest in the Garcia-Benn winner clear earlier in the interview.
“That’s a good fight. And I think that we’ll take the winner out of that,” he said. “Especially, whoever wins, it’ll be a great fight. Either it’s Ryan, or it’s Conor Benn. And we’re ready to do it, man.”
That plan depends first on Teofimo beating Romero, which isn’t guaranteed after his one-sided loss to Shakur Stevenson in January. Moving to welterweight gives Lopez a chance to leave that performance behind while immediately fighting for another world title.
His father believes the additional seven pounds will make Teofimo faster and more effective rather than slowing him down.
“I think he should be able to do everything in less than two years, become undisputed,” Lopez Sr. said. “All these fighters are going to be slower than him, and he’s a really smart fighter in there.”
Senior also identified his son’s mental state as the biggest danger to those plans.
“All I know is this is the time where we got to be focused, and my son got to be in his best mental mind ever,” Lopez Sr said. “That’s the only thing that could mess up my son. Everything is mental with him.”
Teofimo has already named Devin Haney, Garcia and Liam Paro among the champions and contenders he wants at welterweight. His father’s version puts the Garcia-Benn winner at the front of the line after Romero.
If Lopez beats Rolly, Garcia and Benn will settle their own business three weeks later.
