Teofimo Lopez is looking to boxing legend Roberto Duran as his inspiration.
Duran is one of the ‘Four Kings’ alongside Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvellous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns.
Lopez is the WBO super lightweight champion after holding four belts (but not the WBC ‘Regular’ belt that Devin Haney held at the time) at lightweight, and he has already called for a showdown with welterweight champion Terence Crawford.
First up, though, is a title defence against Jamaine Ortiz tonight (live on ESPN+ in the US).
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Looking to the future, Lopez told Sky Sports that it is Duran who serves as a template for a future. Duran was a true great, with belts at four divisions and over 100 victories in the ring.
"The main guy that stands out of the four [kings] was Roberto Duran," Lopez said "Regardless of whether he lost to all of them, he faced all of them and that right there is what I'm trying to bring back to my own beloved sport of boxing.
"So that the next generation, they really see what it takes to be a champion, a true champion in life, is by facing the best guys.
"Whether you think you're ready or not, that's the only way you find out is by going in that square circle and seeing it firsthand."
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