Subriel Matias and Teofimo Lopez are close to reaching an agreement to fight on March 15 for Teo's WBO 140-pound title on ESPN PPV. Former IBF light welterweight champion Mathias (21-2, 21 KOs) will look to become a two-time 140-pound champion against Lopez.
Close the deal
Matias, who has been promoted to the Match Room, has fought once since losing his IBF belt to Liam Barrow on June 15, and he wants to unseat Lopez.
“Teofimo Lopez and Subriel Matias are finalizing a deal to fight on March 15 for Lopez's junior welterweight title,” sources told ESPN. The fight will headline ESPN+ PPV. Mike Coppinger said: “There is no room yet for this exciting fight between “One of the best fighters in the sport and a former champion.” X.
Teofimo has been pushing for a big fight for the past four years, but his promoters have failed to offer him anything convincing. Matias might be the best Lopez can hope for right now until something opens up for him.
A loss to Matias would devastate Lopez, who has won his last five fights since his defeat to Jorge Kambosos Jr. on November 27, 2021. That's why it's hard to believe that Teo will take this fight; It's a lot of risk and it's not the big payday he was pushing for with his callouts to Terence Crawford and Jaron 'Boots' Ennis.
And Raphael Reports That he was told this by Top Rank about the Teofimo Lopez vs. Subriel Matias negotiations: “It is a long way from being done. Yes, there have been talks, but miles apart.”
This is not entirely promising. We're talking about Teofimo here. He believes he is “the king of the light welterweight division based on his win over former undisputed 140-pound champion Josh Taylor on June 10, 2023, and feels the win makes him a four-belt, two-division champion.”
Taylor only held the WBO and Ring 140 pound titles when Teofimo beat him. Therefore, he did not become the undisputed champion in the true sense of this win.
