Teofimo Lopez's massive victory in October over Vasiliy Lomachenko means he is in the driver's seat when it comes to his future opponents.
The WBA (Super), WBO, IBF, and The Ring lightweight champion has a host of potentially-huge bouts against fellow-undefeated young talents in the weight class, such as WBC champion Devin Haney, WBA 'regular' titleholder Gervonta Davis and interim WBC champ Ryan Garcia.
However, next up for the Honduran-American appears to be another unblemished fighter in George Kambosos of Australia, who earned mandatory IBF contender status by defeating Lee Selby on Halloween night. Lopez recently told Ak and Barak that he won't vacate any of his belts and Kambosos does not want to step aside for any amount of money, so purse bids commence on Feb. 18.
On the latest episode of 'Jabs', Chris Mannix and former WBC light-middleweight champion Sergio Mora wondered if we would even see Lopez fight again at lightweight after the Kambosos mandatory.
"Look, there's nothing more in the world I'd like to see than Devin Haney prove he's a big-shot at lightweight," said Mora. "But right now, Teofimo Lopez can pick and choose his path.
"We thought he bit off more than he can chew when he challenged Vasiliy Lomachenko. We didn't think he could win, but he won. Now, the spoils go to the victor.
"He can pick who he wants, and he \\picks (keeping all his belts by facing mandatory challenger) Kambosos, the unbeaten Australian. Good for him.
"Hopefully, when we get back to normal and this pandemic winds down, then we can get the Devin Haney fight, but until then, I like Teofimo Lopez against his mandatory, a good-looking challenger coming off a good-looking win over Lee Selby."
Meanwhile, Mannix raised the possibility that Lopez vs. Haney may never happen unless Haney also moves up to super-lightweight if and when Teofimo does.
"Both these guys want to make low seven figures when they fight each other, and I don't think that money's out there, especially without fans in the stands," he explained.
"And I don't think the fight happens at 135lb. With Teofimo set to face Kambosos, and Josh Taylor and Jose Ramirez set to fight in May, that's a wrap for Teofimo Lopez at 135lb.
"He will defend the belts against Kambosos to reserve, at least, the appearance of being the undisputed lightweight champion so that later in the year, when the winner of Taylor-Ramirez is decided, it can be undisputed at 140l pounds vs. undisputed at 135 pounds.
"I'd love to see Haney vs. Lopez — anyone would — but the way things are going right now, Kambosos could be it for Lopez at 135lb."