WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and The Ring lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez has a host of huge match-ups available to him in 2021 as the 135lb division continues to state its case as the hottest scene in boxing today.
One of the top names on that list is WBC champion Devin Haney. Like Lopez, Haney is young, highly-rated and undefeated, with his best years still ahead.
The two have gone back-and-forth in the media, expressing an interest in getting it on this year. But if this mouthwatering contest did indeed go down sooner rather than later, who would come out on top?
Chris Mannix and former WBC light-middleweight champion Sergio Mora discussed Lopez vs. Haney on the latest episode of DAZN's "Jabs", and for once they were pretty much in agreement!
"It’s a 50-50 fight and I know you hate me straddling the fence, so I’ll say 51-49 in favour of Lopez," said Mora.
"Both guys are the same height and same age but Lopez is a beast, he’s a linebacker, and of course he has the momentum coming off the win over Vasiliy Lomachenko.
"So all in all, I’d have to edge in favour of Teofimo but what a fight that would be.
Mannix concurred: "I’d also lean towards Lopez in this one for a lot of the same reasons as you.
"I think Lopez is the proven commodity. He has the win over Lomachenko and he also beat Richard Commey who is better than anyone on Haney’s resume at this point.
"A lot of people think Haney is destined to be a pound-for-pound guy and you can see that. You can see the skill, the reflexes, the jab… he has the total package, but we’ve yet to see it against top-level competition. Lopez we have seen against top-level competition.
"What I think separates the two is that Lopez would take the fight to Haney. We haven’t seen Haney be successful when someone is pressuring him. But it’s a great match-up and one I hope can get made some time in 2021."
Mora concluded by adding: "Lopez could manhandle Haney on the inside. Haney would have to fight on the outside and get the respect from Lopez."
You can tune into the entire Jan. 13 episode of "Jabs", featuring discussion on the planned fight between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Maurice Hooker plus whether Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez can become the greatest Mexican boxer of all-time, here with a DAZN subscription.