Teofimo Lopez Gifted World Title Shot

Following Teofimo Lopez’s (22-2, 13 KOs) poor performance against Shakur Stevenson on January 31 where he lost his WBO super-lightweight belt via a unanimous decision, he has been given a lifeline by the IBF as they have offered Teo a shot at the IBF 140-pound belt.

The IBF has ordered Teo to face the unknown, yet #1-ranked Lindolfo Delgato (24-0, 16 KOs) for the belt that was vacated by Richardson Hitchins on April 20, as he’s moving up to 147. While Lopez is currently ranked #5 by the IBF, a unique set of circumstances has placed him at the front of the line for the vacant strap.

The IBF #2 spot is currently vacant, while the #3 and #4 contenders—Oscar Duarte and Keyshawn Davis—both have fights scheduled for May (Duarte vs. Fierro and Davis vs. Albright), making them unavailable for the immediate title shot. Since Lopez is the highest-ranked available contender, he was contacted for the championship fight.

There is a chance Lopez doesn’t purse the bout due to it being a much less high-profile fight than he is used to, and he would be taking a massive pay cut. However, it is a world title fight and could put him in position to once again face high-profile opponents.