World champion Teofimo Lopez knows who his first title opponent will be following his impressive victory over Vasyl Lomachenko last year.
Lopez has to agree on a deal with Australian hardman George Kambosos Jr. as ordered by the International Boxing Federation.
The mandate comes on the back of Kambosos defeating Lee Selby last year when traveling to the United Kingdom.
Promoter Lou DiBella was delighted with the confirmation this weekend.
What a great opportunity for George Kambosos Jr,” said DiBella.
“An undefeated, top, young championship contender is getting the opportunity to test himself against young Unified World Champion.
“That’s why real fighters fight,” he added.
MANDATED. ???? #AndTheNew pic.twitter.com/xUZ2hsJT0n
— George "Ferocious" Kambosos Jr (@georgekambosos) January 9, 2021
In 2019, Kambosos Jr. exclusively told WBN he was hoping to land a fight with Vasyl Lomachenko as he rose through the rankings ominously.
As it turned out, Lopez threw a spanner in the works to unseat Lomachenko, and two young warriors will now put it all on the line.
Lopez is currently part of an American-based quartet of stars who fans want to see face each other over the coming years.
But with Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis on course to battle in 2021, Lopez was left with the Devin Haney option.
Haney doesn’t seem to be in the plan at the moment.
Kambosos Jr. gives Lopez the chance to wait it out for Davis vs. Garcia’s winner, although the number one IBF contender will be no walk in the park.
It’s a solid match-up and in-house for Top Rank, which will only be a bonus for Chairman Bob Arum.
Hopefully, fans will attend this time as Lopez both missed out on a crowd in their most significant victories to date – respectively.
CURRENT IBF RATINGS – TOP 15
Champion: Teofimo Lopez
1 GEORGE KAMBOSOS JR – AUSTRALIA
2 ISAAC CRUZ-GONZALEZ – MEXICO
3 GUSTAVO LEMOS – ARGENTINA
4 VASYL LOMACHENKO – UKRAINE
5 FELIX VERDEJO – UNITED STATES
6 DENYS BERINCHYK – UKRAINE
7 LEE SELBY – WALES
8 EMMANUEL TAGOE – GHANA
9 ZAUR ABDULAEV – RUSSIA
10 JACOB NG – AUSTRALIA
11 RICHARD COMMEY – GHANA
12 MICHEL RIVERA – DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
13 JAMES TENNYSON – ENGLAND
14 ELNUR SAMEDOV – RUSSIA
15 SUICHIRO YOSHINO – JAPAN
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