Mikey Garcia gives Rolando “Rolly” Romero a strong chance of beating Teofimo Lopez on Saturday night because the sharper version of Lopez has been missing from his recent performances.
Peak form carried Teofimo past Vasiliy Lomachenko at lightweight and Josh Taylor at light welterweight. His footwork, accuracy, and combination punching have not looked as sharp in recent outings. Moving to welterweight will not automatically restore those qualities.
Career success and larger paydays may have reduced the hunger that drove Teofimo earlier. Fighters can lose part of their intensity after accomplishing their b
