Teofimo Lopez’s threats to kill Josh Taylor leads to extra security

Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez will have bolstered security this week, after Lopez said he wanted to kill Taylor in the ring.

By: Tim Bissell | 4 months ago
Teofimo Lopez’s threats to kill Josh Taylor leads to extra security
Teofimo Lopez. IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

Josh Taylor vs. Teofimo Lopez is shaping up to be a spicy contest. The two men meet at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden, New York on Saturday to fight for Taylor’s WBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles.

There has been a lot of trash talk leading up to this one and it seems like Taylor has had enough of it.

Taylor sick of Lopez’s taunts

Josh Taylor has cut an increasingly frustrated figure in media appearances for his fight with Teofimo Lopez. Lopez, on the other hand, seems to be having a whale of a time, needling the serious Scotsman at every opportunity

Taylor and Lopez jaw back and forth.

Taylor recently walked out of a joint-interview with Lopez and told Sky Sports he did so because his opponent was talking “absolute waffle.”

“It’s just boring and you’re not even making any sense so I got up and said look I’m away, I’m going to get my dinner and go to bed, see you on June 10,” said Taylor.

Taylor added that he the amount of talk coming from Lopez speaks to the challenger having “nervous energy”.

Security increased after Teofimo Lopez’s threats

Carl Moretti, VP of boxing operations for Top Rank (who are promoting the fight), told Sky Sports that the trash talk has lead to increased security for the scheduled pre-fight press conference on Thursday.

Moretti said Top Rank are shelling out an extra $5,000 on security “because we’ve got to get to Saturday.”

The increase in security comes after Lopez’s rhetoric drifted beyond usual fight hype. During an interview with Punsh Drunk Boxing, Lopez said he wanted “to kill” Taylor.

“I took [Vasiliy Lomachenko’s] heat, but I’m taking Taylor’s life,” he said.

Taylor vs. Lopez is this Saturday night

Taylor vs. Lopez goes live on Saturday, June 10. Taylor will be looking to extend his pro record to 20-0 (and likely want to add his 14th KO to his record, too). Last time out he took a controversial split decision over Jack Catterall.

The 18-1 Lopez has won back-to-back losses to rebound after his 2021 split decision loss to George Kambosos Jr. That loss cost Lopez his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and The Ring lightweight titles.


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About the author
Tim Bissell
Tim Bissell

Tim Bissell is a writer, editor and deputy site manager for Bloody Elbow. He has covered combat sports since 2015. Tim covers news and events and has also written longform and investigative pieces. Among Tim's specialties are the intersections between crime and combat sports. Tim has also covered head trauma, concussions and CTE in great detail.

Tim is also BE's lead (only) sumo reporter. He blogs about that sport here and on his own substack, Sumo Stomp!

Email me at tim@bloodyelbow.com. Nice messages will get a response.

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