On December 8, 2018, Teofimo Lopez knocked out Mason Menard in the first round at the Hulu Theater in New York, New York. As he celebrated his victory, he sported a Kyler Murray jersey as the Heisman hopeful campaigned for college football’s highest honor. One year and six days later, Lopez knocked out Richard Commey at the Hulu Theater to win his first world title. After the fight, he sported a Joey Burrow jersey as the LSU quarterback campaign to win the Heisman Trophy. Three years removed from that fight, Lopez will return to the Big Apple on Heisman Night as he hopes to score a knockout and support college football’s biggest stars.
Mike Coppinger of ESPN has reported that Teofimo Lopez is nearing a deal to fight Jose Pedraza on December 10, 2022 at the Hulu Theater in New York, New York. Keeping in line with tradition, the fight will air on ESPN in conjunction with the presentation of the Heisman Trophy.
Unlike his aforementioned fights with Commey and Menard, Lopez will not enter the ring with an undefeated record. In November 2021, Lopez suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of George Kambosos Jr. Since then, he has moved up one division and defeated Pedro Campa in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In Lopez’s first fight back at the Hulu Theater since losing to Kambosos Jr., the New York native will fight Jose Pedraza. Pedraza is a former WBO Lightweight Champion with a professional record of 29-4-1 with 14 knockouts. In his last fight, he fought to a draw with the aforementioned, Richard Commey.
