Teofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr. Stats Comparison and Prediction: Record, Age, Height, Reach, Weight, and Knockout Ratio

WBO super lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez will return to the ring after nearly a year on the sidelines for a title fight. The Brooklyn native will test his mettle against ‘Interim’ title holder Arnold Barboza Jr. at Times Square in New York on a card featuring Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney fighting separate opponents on Friday night. 

Lopez, a two-division title holder, is slightly favored over his Long Beach native opponent. However, the question remains: is that enough to introduce Barboza Jr. to a thing called loss? Barboza, of course, is no pushover as he has managed to maintain his undefeated record. But the upcoming fight, being his first shot at a major title, has caused some doubts about his abilities. 

Teofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr.: stats, record, and prediction

‘The Takeover’ is among the most recognizable names in boxing circles, having fought and defeated Ukrainian boxing legend and the current IBF lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko. His other notable wins came against Richard Commey, Josh Taylor, and Masayoshi Nakatani. However, Lopez, 27, is no stranger to upsets either. In 2021, Teofimo Lopez suffered a major upset loss to George Kambosos Jr., just after his career-defining victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko. Lomachenko, notably, would go on to dominate Kambosos Jr. late last year. This sequence of events highlights a pattern: while Lopez has the explosive talent to derail elite opponents, he struggles with consistency.

For example, in his bout against Sandor Martin, Lopez was knocked down twice but still managed to escape with a controversial split-decision victory. Similarly, in his fight against Jamaine Ortiz, Ortiz’s defensive style frustrated Lopez, slowing his offense, and many observers felt Ortiz deserved the decision.

Overall, the Brooklyn native boasts a record of 21-1 (13 KOs, 61.9% KO ratio). On the other hand, Barboza is coming off the biggest win of his career against Jack Catterall. However, it was a split decision win, meaning the fight was definitely close. His other great wins came against Alex Saucedo, Antonio Moran, and Mike Alvarado. 

While Barboza Jr. lacks a resume filled with elite names, he has shown the capability to finish strong and weather adversity in the middle of a fight. While he does have more professional fights with a record of 32-0 (11 KOs, 34.38% KO ratio), he lacks the amateur experience Lopez possesses. This makes predicting the outcome of the fight a little more complicated. 

If Lopez is able to replicate his 2023 performance against Josh Taylor while fighting Barboza, he has a good chance of winning. However, if Barboza Jr. can remain active on his feet and pressure Lopez into making mistakes early, the fight could see an upset unfold. All in all, Lopez should be able to get a win, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Barboza Jr. takes the cake. 

Lopez vs. Barboza Jr. height, weight, reach comparison, and more

Teofimo Lopez measures 5′ 9″ (175cm) in height, while his wingspan is 68½″ (174cm). On the flip side, Arnold Barboza Jr. has an identical height of 5′ 9″ (175cm), with a reach of 72″ (183cm). This means Barboza will have a physical edge over Lopez on Saturday night. The weigh-in details aren’t out yet, but both Lopez and Barboza Jr. have consistently made the 140-pound limit in their previous fights. So, there shouldn’t be a significant weight advantage for either fighter. 

Having said that, it will be a tough one for Teofimo Lopez, as he lacks the consistency to fill people with confidence. Meanwhile, Arnold Barboza Jr. will also have to dig deep to create an upset. Do you agree with the prediction? Who do you think will win? 

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