Teofimo Lopez and George Kambosos will finally square off. After months of back-and-forth with multiple promoters, trash talk and a near-on stage fight, the two are set to battle on Saturday.
A Triller Fight Club pay-per-view event at first, the showdown moved to DAZN a few months ago after Triller's continual issues placing the bout. What was originally a standard mandatory defense for Lopez has since turned into a heated feud between two undefeated boxers.
Let's take a look at what to expect for Saturday's main-event.
Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos: Preview
Teofimo Lopez is a young fighter who was thrust into the spotlight last year following his win over Vasyl Lomachenko. Many thought the task of dethroning 'Loma' was too big for the 24-year-old out of New York, but he proved everyone wrong.
Lopez is a fast starter with loads of power and speed. The unified champion also showed in his fight with Lomachenko that his defense and gas tank are on point. While many simply believe Lomachenko had a bad night at the office last October, Lopez still got a well-earned win using a sound gameplan and technique.
The harsh reality for Kambosos is there's not a whole lot Lopez does poorly. However, Kambosos isn't some scrub to be taken lightly. While it's true he's viewed as a lightly-valued mandatory for Lopez, he's still a very good boxer.
The main issue for Kambosos on Saturday night is that for everything good he does, Lopez does the same things better. Kambosos has extremely fast hands and loves to pressure his opponents and cut off the ring. The problem lies in the fact that Lopez can fight backwards, is quicker than Kambosos, and has loads more power.
Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos: Prediction
Teofimo Lopez is a massive favorite in this bout and we're not going to side against him in this one either.
Kambosos is a tough guy, but the reality is that he's far too hitable to sustain himself against Lopez. His style will likely lead to some fun exchanges where he catches 'Takeover', and for however long the fight goes it's sure to be entertaining.
However, unless Kambosos has made huge improvements to his game since his last win over Lee Selby, he's in trouble. Lopez has improved massively over his career, and while he is coming off a bad case of Covid-19, he's likely to roll on Saturday night.
The Outcome
As previously mentioned, George Kambosos is tough, but tough doesn't win fights.
Teofimo Lopez looks like he has something to prove, and it's hard to believe he doesn't get a huge win on Saturday. With Kambosos' defensive liabilities, we may even see 'Takeover' get the statement knockout win he's looking for.