World champion boxer Teofimo Lopez has revealed he would be willing to train his three-year-old son if the youngster decides to follow in his footsteps, despite acknowledging the strain boxing has placed on his own relationship with his father.
Lopez, 27, who has been coached by his father Teofimo Sr. throughout his career, admits that boxing has often blurred the lines between their father-son relationship and their trainer-fighter dynamic.
'I would train my son and I would coach him,' Lopez stated in a recent interview. 'I think that he'll be in the best hands with me. I'll definitely be there watching him, step by step.'
The WBO super-lightweight champion emphasized that he would also incorporate other mentors for his son's development, understanding the challenging nature of the sport. 'This road is rugged, it's rough. Many bumps and you gotta be strong, you gotta be strong willed, to be able to conquer all of them,' he explained.
Lopez candidly admitted that with his own father, boxing typically comes first in their relationship. 'Boxing all the time... It's good to sometimes feel like you have many more things outside of boxing but everything always involves boxing. This is what I know, this is my world and I love it.'
According to match analysis from Statbet, Lopez's professional record shows impressive victories against top-tier opponents like Vasiliy Lomachenko and Josh Taylor, though he's also faced criticism for controversial decisions in bouts with Jamaine Ortiz and Sandor Martin.
The champion returns to action this Friday in a historic boxing event at New York's Times Square, defending his title against Arnold Barboza Jr., 33. The card features two other high-profile bouts: Ryan Garcia facing Rolando Romero and Devin Haney taking on Jose Ramirez.
Reflecting on sharing the spotlight with fighters he's known since his amateur days, Lopez remarked, 'We all know each other from like the amateurs. It feels like we're in a national tournament. Only thing is that the stage got bigger. The people know us a bit more... It's a historic event. But other than that, it's, no pressure, no rivalry, just entertainment.'
