Ahead of Saturday’s WBO Super Lightweight Championship grudge match, we asked our forum members to predict who will come out on top:
I think its a great close fight. Both guys haven’t looked their best getting controversial decisions in recent fights, so they should both be looking to prove something. I am leaning towards Taylor by decision, as seems to have made the weight much better than his previous fight and has proved himself at 140lbs.
The justified criticism in the wake of the Catterall decision stung Taylor, he’ll be really focused & professional this time. I think he’ll dominate Lopez and force a stoppage in the 2nd half of the fight.
At their best Taylor wins a close all action fight by being busier and sharper in close. Who knows if either man turns up near their best. Got a feeling Taylor looks better and wins a bit wider.
Very interesting, close fight through the first four rounds or so. Taylor starts making some adjustments about the 5th and they start paying off bigger and bigger as the fight goes on. 117-111 Taylor who wins the second half of the fight by a wide margin.
I think Taylor really puts the pressure on Teo throughout and beats him up to be honest. Lopez will fire back early on but will fatigue in the second half of the fight and gets worn down and stopped late on
Taylor batters him and stops him within 10 rounds. Easy fight to predict, Lopez is done.
Josh Taylor will grind him down and earn a late stoppage. There will be no backflips on Saturday night, let me tell you.
Convinced we see a wounded and hungry Josh Taylor looking to remind everyone how good he is. Taylor to drop Lopez early in the first couple of rounds. Lopez’s output slows down as he is wary of being caught again, he backfoots himself through the next few rounds as Taylor dominates. Lopez realising he needs to up the tempo in the mid to late rounds has a brief success, leaves himself open and is badly hurt by Taylor, who jumps on him and finishes the job.
Both got gifts in there last fights but if Taylor is as focused as he says he is then I can’t see past him. Lopez has been all over the place mentally for awhile now and a rejuvenated Taylor could be a nightmare for him. Can see Lopez taking a beating by the end of this.
Teo drops and hurts Taylor badly. Taylor gets up and outworks Teo.
Lopez to take the early rounds, maybe even getting a knock down. However Taylor comes on strong in the middle and down the stretch getting a close but comfortable UD.
I think this starts off as a tentative, cagey affair for the first two or three rounds, predominantly due to Taylor gauging exactly what Teo has for him at this weight. Taylor will then adapt and adjust to what Lopez is bringing to the table and will put his foot on the gas with clever footwork and combination punching from the outside and inside. Taylor’s body attack will be key to this and I envision him using this from the beginning of the bout before stopping Lopez late for a TKO11
Think it’d be a slightly less competitive version of Taylor – Prograis. Teo having success using his athleticism to score clean with big counters, but Taylor using his well rounded boxing skillset to adapt, pick his spots whilst consistently outworking Teo round by round to get a clear decision.
