WBO super-lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez has been calling out the arguable pound-for-pound number one Terence Crawford in recent weeks, and now Lopez has discovered that there is a way to enforce the bout.
Crawford was left without an opponent following Errol Spence Jr’s cataract surgery, which put an end to the chances of a rematch, despite the latter activating his rematch clause.
Instead, Lopez has offered to jump up to 147lbs after just four contests at super-lightweight and take on the unified champion of the welterweight division.
However, ‘The Takeover’s’ below-par performance against Jamaine Ortiz last week seemed to render the clash dead in the water, after Crawford labelled the 26-year-old as ‘crazy’ and claimed his win was gifted.
Yet, speaking to Punsh Drunk Boxing, Lopez has revealed that he is open to petitioning to the WBO to enforce him as a mandatory challenger for Crawford, in accordance with their rules when one of their champions moves up in weight.
We have seen this WBO rule used effectively with Emanuel Navarrete, who has progressed from super-bantamweight to lightweight, picking up WBO belts in each division and fighting for a vacant WBO crown on both occasions that he has moved up in weight thus far.
‘Vaquero’ will likely fight for the vacant WBO lightweight title against Denys Berinchyk in the coming months, as the Mexican aims for a hat-trick of vacant WBO straps.
