Bob Arum: Teofimo Lopez Would Have Easy Work With Ryan Garcia

Top Rank Boxing’s Bob Arum doesn’t think Ryan Garcia poses much of a threat to Teofimo Lopez.

Lopez is the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, The Ring, & WBC (Franchise) Lightweight Champion. Garcia recently captured the interim WBC Lightweight Title. Garcia has been targeting a showdown with WBA (Regular) Lightweight titleholder Gervonta Davis, while Lopez hopes to fight WBC Lightweight Champion Devin Haney if the bout with mandatory contender George Kambosos falls through.

Speaking to BoxingScene.com, Arum shared his belief that Lopez would have no problem handling Garcia based on “KingRy’s” showing against Luke Campbell.

“I thought it was a good performance. I liked the fact that he got knocked down [in the second round] and got up and survived and finished the job. That was a good sign for him. He’s got very fast hands, a lot of power, but I’d beat him in a 100-yard dash. I mean, he has really slow feet. I think Lopez, I mean, [Golden Boy] won’t put him in with Lopez. Lopez would have easy work with Garcia.”

Garcia fought Campbell in early January. He had to battle through adversity as he was knocked down for the first time in his career in the second round. Garcia wasn’t fazed by the knockdown and eventually scored the seventh-round knockout win with a body shot.

Arum and Oscar De La Hoya have been on good terms for years. De La Hoya runs Golden Boy Promotions and promotes Garcia. Given the strong relationship between Arum and De La Hoya, a bout between Lopez and Garcia may not be far-fetched in the future.