By Ian S Palmer
Original article; https://www.sportsbetlistings.com/boxing/teofimo-lopez-vs-steve-claggett-betting-odds-and-prediction/23870/
Current Ring Magazine and WBO Super Lightweight Champion Teofimo Lopez of Brooklyn, New York defends his title against Canada’s Steve Claggett this Saturday, June 29th. The 12-rounder from Miami Beach, Florida, can be seen live in America on the ESPN platform while fans in the UK can catch it on Sky Sports Action and those in Canada can catch it on TSN 2. Lopez was last in the ring in February when he beat Jamaine Ortiz by a close unanimous decision. Lopez edged Josh Martin last June for the WBO and Ring Titles and is also a former WBA Super World, IBF, WBO, and Ring Magazine World Lightweight Champion. Claggett last fought in January when he stopped Marcos Gonzalez Barraza after the second round.
The 26-year-old Lopez climbs into the ring with a mark of 20-1 with 13 Ko’s and is former multiple world title holder who also held the NABF, WBC Continental Americas, USBA, and NABA-USA Lightweight Belts earlier in his career. Lopez originally won the WBA and WBO Lightweight Titles in October, 2020 when he beat a rather tame-looking Vasyl Lomachenko by a somewhat controversial unanimous decision and had won the IBF belt 10 months earlier when he stopped Richard Commey in the second round.
However, he lost a split decision and all of his titles to George Kambosos Jr in his first defence in November, 2021 in a fight which saw Lopez down in the first round and Kambosos on the deck in the 10th. Lopez is regarded as one of the sport’s top prospects due to his whirlwind, non-stop style and power but struggled against Masayoshi Nakatani in July 2019 as well as against Lomachenko in the last half of their fight and also against Sandor Martin in another controversial win, this time by split decision over 10 rounds in December, 2022.
Lopez owns better-than-average power as 65 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage but he’s gone the distance in three straight fights and five of the past six. Lopez isn’t really a one-punch KO artist even though he nailed Richard Commey perfectly in the second round of their December, 2019 bout to win the IBF crown. He typically stops opponents with the sheer volume of punches he throws rather than with just one shot. Lopez stands 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 68.5-inch and has 125 rounds of experience under his belt since making his pro debut in November, 2016.
He enjoyed a fine amateur career and fought for Honduras at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where he lost in the first round of competition. He’s also a former national Golden Gloves Champion and has had no problem adapting to pro boxing. Lopez has also beaten the likes of Edis Tatli, Diego Magdaleno, Mason Menard, William Silva, Vitor Jones, Juan Pablo Sanchez and Francisco Medel.
The 35-year-old Claggett makes the ring walk with a 38-7-2 record with 26 Ko’s and has boxed 276 rounds since making his pro debut in 2008 after his amateur career. He also measures 5-feet-8-inches tall and has a 70-inch reach, which gives him a 1.5-inch edge in reach on Lopez. As far as power is concerned, Claggett has enough of it to do some damage as 68.4 per cent of his victories have come by stoppage including seven of his past nine.
Claggett has seven defeats on his record as he was stopped in the eighth round by Romeo Jakosalem in 2011; dropped an eight-round split decision to Alexandre Lepelley in 2013; lost an eight-round unanimous decision to Konstantin Ponomarev in 2015; lost a 10-round majority decision to Chris van Heerden in 2016; dropped a 10-round unanimous decision to Danny O’Connor in 2018 in a shot at the WBC International Silver Super Lightweight Title; lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Yves Ulysse Jr in 2019 and dropped a 10-round split decision to Mathieu Germain in 2021.
The two draws on his record were a four-rounder with Dave Petryk back in 2009 and a 10-round affair with Mathieu Germain in 2021 for the IBF North American and International Super Lightweight Belts. As a pro, Claggett has captured the vacant WBC Youth Inter-Continental Super Lightweight Title, the vacant Canadian Welterweight Belt, the vacant NABA USA Super Lightweight Belt and the IBF North American, WBO International, NABF and IBF International Super Lightweight Titles. His biggest wins have been over Miguel Madueno, Carlos Sanchez, Alberto Machado, Tony Luis and Emanuel Lopez.
Prediction…
Lopez has been inconsistent over the past few years as he either struggles mightily or appears to be unbeatable but he does possess enough power to stop a fight with one shot. Claggett is 35 years old and has lost seven fights and has never faced a top contender so this isn’t exactly a fight the fans have been asking for. Claggett is a solid boxer with a good chin and enough power and skill to be a thorn in the champion’s side for a few rounds but that’s probably about it. The native of Calgary, Alberta, has won nine fights in a row though and should enter the ring with a bit of confidence knowing that Lopez often fights to the level of his opponent. Still, I’m expecting Lopez to retain the belts for now even though he may not look that great while doing so.
