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Angela Yee
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human Whoa.
Coca-Cola Announcer
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Charlamagne Tha God
All.
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Teofimo Lopez
Mm.
Coca-Cola Announcer
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Teofimo Lopez
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DJ Envy
Every day. I wake up.
Teofimo Lopez
Wake your ass up.
DJ Envy
Morning, everybody.
Angela Yee
It's DJ Envy.
DJ Envy
Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy we are the Breakfast Club. Long Rose is here as well. Our brother Aus here, so you know what that means. We got a box in the building. Ladies and gentlemen, from Brooklyn, New York, he's fighting on 31st January. He's fighting Shakur Stevenson. Tio Lopez, welcome.
Teofimo Lopez
Yes.
DJ Envy
How you feeling, brother?
Teofimo Lopez
Feeling great, feeling excited, and I'm just pumped for this fight.
DJ Envy
It's a dream matchup, you know what I'm saying? It's a fight that boxing fans, you know, these are the fights we want to see. What made you want to fight Shakur right now? How did y' all get it done?
Teofimo Lopez
I think it's just fate. You know, it just lined up. I think that, you know, he's been talking a big, big game since the Williams a Payta fight that happened over here at the Armstrong Stadium. So I think that there's nobody else at 135 that he's trying to aim for, so he wants to come for the top dog, and that's me at 140. So it just lines up, you know, and I'm always. I'm always willing to fight the best. And I felt like, why not? You know, people talk highly of Shakur, as they should, and I'm just here to do my part and put an.
Charlamagne Tha God
Upset, you know, you mentioned the fight against Cepeda. Were you surprised how Shakur Shakur has gotten criticized for moving and being a boxer that isn't that aggressive, which, I mean, he's been successful at it, but on a Cepeda fight, he showed the world that he could fight in the pocket like Cepeda throws What, a thousand punches a fight? Were you surprised, or did you expect that Shakur can fight that type of fight as well?
Teofimo Lopez
I mean, I look at it like. I know we mentioned it. We talked about it. I'd say that it was the people gets him. People get to. To Shakur quite easily. So I feel like whatever the people want is what they're gonna try to get with Shakur.
Charlamagne Tha God
Oh, so you say he fought like that to. To please the people, to prove to the people that he can do it?
Teofimo Lopez
Yeah, yeah, yeah. He didn't need to.
DJ Envy
Yeah, because you can't. If Shakur don't want you to touch him, you're not gonna touch him. His defense is that immaculate. You just said, though. You said that you. You ready to pull an upset. So you. You acknowledging that Shakur, the better fighter.
Teofimo Lopez
Never. No, no, no, he just said that.
DJ Envy
He said the upset.
Charlamagne Tha God
He said the odds probably has him ahead.
Teofimo Lopez
No. Yeah, it's just the odds. They got him as the favorite.
DJ Envy
Oh, got, you got.
Guardian Bikes Announcer
You got.
Teofimo Lopez
The odds, I think, is like three to one right now.
DJ Envy
Okay.
Teofimo Lopez
That's all. I'm kind of used to being in that position. I'm just here to reclaim them and redefend them.
Angela Yee
So with that upset, like, what do you plan to, like, exploit about Shakur in the ring?
Teofimo Lopez
That is defense is not as impeccable as people mention it.
DJ Envy
Nice. Impeccable. This is pretty elite. Come on. It's pretty elite.
Teofimo Lopez
No.
Charlamagne Tha God
What is his weakness, though, if there's one?
Teofimo Lopez
His mind. Once you penetrate the mind, that's it. Aim, it's game. This is boxing. This has always been since forever. And if your mind ain't strong in this, it's never gonna accomplish anything in life. And that's why boxing to this day is the toughest sport in the world. You can't take away from that. And it starts with the mind.
DJ Envy
That's why now you're both fighting in the Garden. You're fighting at the Garden. What does that mean to you? You from Brooklyn, him from Jersey. What does that mean to you now?
Teofimo Lopez
Yeah. Brick city and concrete jungle. That's how you gotta look at it. It's. It's a blessing. I mean, for me, I think it's a. It's a. Not only an honor, but it shows where we at in the pedigree of the sport. You got two prime fighters coming in, the best, fighting the best, and putting on a show in New York is nothing like the Mecca and Madison Square Garden. There's so much history there. I've won My titles there, I've. I've been defeated there, won them all back again. So I got a lot of history when it comes to Madison Square Garden.
DJ Envy
Does it get to your head when you hear the odds or you hear somebody like Charlemagne saying his defense is impeccable and say that you, the underdog.
Teofimo Lopez
Does that get to your head at.
DJ Envy
All when you see, like, people going against you so much?
Teofimo Lopez
No, it can't be. Can't be. It comes with it. I look at it like this. I was talking to my father about this and was also my trainer. I said, if you want to be light, then, you know you be liked. By being a good fighter, you want to be loved, you'd be the best fighter, but you want to be hated, you'd be the greatest fighter. And I think that all comes in different atmospheres. And when you're the greatest, not a lot of people are going to agree with what you're doing and how you do it. So I'm trying to aim for that category, aim for that, for that, for my journey and for my name. And before I hang up these gloves, people can say to you, fema was the greatest.
DJ Envy
The thing I love about you, you've been very open about, like, your personal struggles and pressure and mental health. How is doing that work made you a better man and fighter?
Teofimo Lopez
I love it. I love it. I honestly love it. I think that's, like, part of the journey is, like, you learn with struggle, you learn with obstacles, and you also learn within yourself what you can and cannot do. And then you hit a point in your life where you start realizing that there's not much that you cannot achieve. So you push limits far beyond your own measures. And I love it. I love it. I love this right here. I love this fight. I love this part where it's going to test my limits. It's a challenge to show people. And I'm here to exploit his defense of Shakur Stevenson. I'm here to show that there's a lot of flaws in his. In his style. We don't grown up in the amateurs together, and since the early 2010s, so we got a lot of history when it comes to, like, seeing each other rise to the cream of the crop. But I think that now it comes to where we just meeting now, so we never faced each other. Wish him nothing but the best after he loses to me, and, yeah, I can't wait to just keep on going from there.
Charlamagne Tha God
I have to ask you, because I'm so happy that this fight is happening. Because at one point this is a ring fight, right? So Turki Alisheek is involved. And at one point they were saying that you were on the outs. You said something about Saudi Arabia. You said something about, I don't know, the religion, correct me if I'm wrong. And supposedly Turkey didn't want to do any business with you. But then in Vegas, I saw you, him, everybody, like kind of mingling. So what was said? How did you guys mend that beef or whatever issue that was?
Teofimo Lopez
It's boxing. There's no beef, it's just boxing. You going to talk sometimes. You going to talk hit and miss.
Charlamagne Tha God
I know, but did you, did you regret anything that you said because you're outspoken? Have you ever regretted anything that you said, like to the public?
Teofimo Lopez
Well, one thing you learn in this game, you don't talk about religion.
Charlamagne Tha God
So you learn from that.
Teofimo Lopez
No, but I'm just saying not learn from it. I don't recall me even mentioning about religion. I think people mix up my words from time to time, and that comes with this game. It's cool. I mean, I'm still captain of my division. I'm holding my belts. I'm proud to be a ring champion, his champion, so to speak, and at the same time, WBO world champion. So I'm in a great position. I think that as long as you bring money to the game, they can't exclude you out. I think it's just true. How much longer do you.
Angela Yee
How much longer do you play in the box? I know you retired before.
Teofimo Lopez
Are you thinking about doing it again? No, I don't. I don't know. I think for me it's really just enjoying it. Just enjoying it now.
Angela Yee
What made you want to do it before? What made you retire before? What got you to that?
Teofimo Lopez
I was trying to do it for the. I guess there was an absence there where I wanted people to acknowledge what I'm doing. When these two belts alone at 25 is so hard to do in boxing, let alone even go for one. And to do that in two different weight classes against two top pound for pound under aiming, one was undisputed, the other one was claiming to be undisputed. Being both of them in their prime and to do that and not really get that kind of ambiance or that type of vibe from everybody else that they get from others.
Charlamagne Tha God
And the money, you said you wasn't getting the money you deserved, but.
Teofimo Lopez
But I always told myself as a kid, it was like, you'll get all those things when you are number one. I got them twice. Nothing came around. So I was like, you wanted the people to miss you, so I'm like, you know what? This. This ain't gonna really. I was like, that. Fire comes, goes down, goes down. So to rebuild it. And then did my fight in Times Square earlier in 2025, earlier this year at Times Square. It was great. I feel the fire more than ever. Got like, a blue flame on me.
DJ Envy
So you feel like it worked?
Angela Yee
The retirement, the first retirement, you feel like it worked for what you were trying to accomplish?
Teofimo Lopez
Just one. Yeah, I guess. You know, personally, when we talk about this stuff, it's like, you know, you sacrifice the time with your family. I. I got a young, young boy. Really miss most of his time, like, almost three years. He's four now. So do the math. You know what I'm saying? So you miss a lot of that time that you kind of want to feel. At the same time, although it's our industries and our platform, you still want to feel like a human. You still got a life after all this. Yeah. Because you know this better than anybody. Right. They'll eat you up and spit you right out.
Angela Yee
Yeah.
Teofimo Lopez
And call in the next one. So I think I just needed that moment.
DJ Envy
So where are you emotionally and mentally now, like, today, compare. Compared to the version of yourself that, like, beat a Lomachenko? Where are you now emotionally and mentally.
Teofimo Lopez
Still? Yeah, I'm just very still. I'm not even trying to, like, argue. If people say this, I'm like, go ahead. If people say that, I'm like, do what you do. None of it gonna matter till we fight. None of it gonna matter till I put in the action and the work. Just keep my faith above it all and just, you know, show a different. Not even a different. Just show me, but in. In a way of maturity. Yeah, that's really it.
Charlamagne Tha God
On paper, do you think Shakur is your toughest task? I know you got to be in there with him because all fighters say, I don't know.
Teofimo Lopez
But on paper, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely. This is why we do what we do. You can't go to do what you do and look for easy routes. Eventually, you're gonna have to meet up with people. So, you know, that's why me and my father, like, right off the jump, 22, won my first world title at MSG. Boom. The following year, Lomachenko Undisputed, they. They revoked that, whatever the case be, and. And then just kept on going from there on, you know what I mean? And it's. It's better knowing now than later, you know, because then you just lying to yourself. That's fine.
DJ Envy
Tim Bradley said that he feels like Shakur Stevenson can hurt you. Not. Not necessarily with power, but by frustrating you, controlling the distance, nullifying your offense, just making you look bad. He said that he feels like he has. Shakur has superior boxing IQ compared to you.
Teofimo Lopez
That's cool. That's his opinion. That's cool. Everybody has an opinion. Like an, you know, that's the way. I wish I can be like you.
Angela Yee
I swear, I wish I could be like you, too.
DJ Envy
What's that like?
Angela Yee
They say, whatever, it's fine. I'd be like, say what?
DJ Envy
He also said, don't run from Shakur.
Teofimo Lopez
Yeah, Yeah. I mean, hey, I. I don't. I put on boxing shoes, not track shoes. So. So, yeah, just. I'm. I'm excited for it all, man. I like to go to the fire.
Charlamagne Tha God
You know, people been talking about was your mental lapses in the ring. Cause you're so skilled. Like, you've been on a pound for pound list, right? Especially after you beat Lomachenko. You showed everybody facet of your game. But then there's fights, little hiccups, like against Sando Martin, where people say Tio just wasn't really there. Like mentally, it wasn't really him. Like, how do you avoid that from happening? And do you hear that noise?
Teofimo Lopez
Boxing raised me. I'll say it like that. And you come to a point in life where you realize, um, some things may not go exactly the way you plan it for that night, that's perfectly fine. Because they're just mistakes in the. In the lead up to something more. It only becomes a choice when you continue to make that same mistake. So I've come to terms where it's like those type of quote unquote hiccups were challenging moments for me to see where I could improve in my game. There's no such thing as like, oh, I know everything. I know how to do it all. I got this in the book, in the bag. You don't. If you do, you might as well quit now. Yeah. You know, do you still love boxing?
DJ Envy
Because, you know, it's funny, I hear you talk about your son a second ago, and you lit up. Yeah, but then when you talk about boxing, it's just like it. I'm a fight, I'm gonna win. Keep it moving. Then I'll go back to my. My son, you know, I mean, so do you still love it? You still have love for the sport?
Teofimo Lopez
I wouldn't be the man I am without it.
DJ Envy
But you still love it now.
Teofimo Lopez
Absolutely. I'm just more. No more rah, rah. No more chill.
DJ Envy
You want showing proof through actions and not. Not words.
Teofimo Lopez
I ain't gonna win that battle no more. I'm just gonna do what I gotta do. Because the real gonna prevail regardless. It may they show a lot of flaws and fake dudes and fake people around the world now, but as long as you keep your thing, keep it thorough, you gonna get yours.
Charlamagne Tha God
But don't you feel like you suppressing who you really are? Like, you talked about the Times Square and everybody was saying Teofimo was the one that had that whole promotion lit up. Like on the press conferences. You had the bravado and all of that. So now it seems like you're saying you're gonna suppress that. You're not gonna be yourself.
Teofimo Lopez
I'm still myself, just a different, toned.
Charlamagne Tha God
Down version of you.
Teofimo Lopez
You wanna say it that way? I think I just. I ain't really been on social right now. I just been locked in. Yeah, I just been on. I don't know. I just been on.
DJ Envy
I get what I'm saying, though, because even when you talk about, you know, the things.
Teofimo Lopez
I'm so funny, though. I'm definitely do my thing at the press conference in a little bit.
DJ Envy
But, you know, you got to show that to sell the fight because, you know, you got. You got the accolade, but, you know, in order to get that money, sadly, you got to perform a little bit.
Teofimo Lopez
I already got the money.
Charlamagne Tha God
Contract sign already, but okay.
Teofimo Lopez
Yeah, so it's more so of the.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah, but you want the fight to do well.
DJ Envy
Yeah.
Charlamagne Tha God
Numbers.
Teofimo Lopez
It will. I mean, look, I wouldn't. This is my first time sitting amongst you all at the Breakfast Breakfast Club. And honestly, it's been. That's what it takes you to.
DJ Envy
Your pops is funny. He back there. Like, man, all.
Teofimo Lopez
That's the one y' all need right there.
DJ Envy
Your pops are here. New Yorker today.
Teofimo Lopez
Whoa.
Coca-Cola Announcer
What a vibe we've got, y'.
Angela Yee
All.
Coca-Cola Announcer
As always, it's classic HBCU energy. Nonstop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit chants echoing, drums beating everybody showing that school pride. Moments like this. Yeah, they call for an ice cold Coca Cola. Crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there.
Teofimo Lopez
Mmm.
Coca-Cola Announcer
Yeah, that taste always hit the right note. Just like the band at halftime. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere. And an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo. No matter the place, no matter the moment, everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So Grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.
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Teofimo Lopez
One thing we never lost to a.
DJ Envy
Southpaw out of 200 spikes. So he said they never lost to a southpaw out of 200 fights. Yeah, more or more.
Teofimo Lopez
A lot of people look at. Look not to look over it, but a lot of people look at southpost very. They're very difficult. But I grew up with South Pole since a kid, kind of understand the. The rhythms of it. Don't get me wrong, he could be slick, but there's something I do to southpaws that just work in my favor.
DJ Envy
She called different, though.
Teofimo Lopez
It's all right.
DJ Envy
It's called a special. Fighter got dropped, man.
Teofimo Lopez
What you talking about? Yes, dad. Even his little daughter said, hold on.
DJ Envy
Get a props to m. Pops. No, don't take quiet, Pops. Don't stay quiet.
Angela Yee
Now I understand why you stay.
DJ Envy
Don't stay quiet.
Charlamagne Tha God
No.
Pharmaceutical Ad Voice
Yeah.
Teofimo Lopez
Freaking four seconds, man.
DJ Envy
This a special fight cuz of both. Cuz who we both of y' all are. But Shakur is a special fighter. You got to acknowledge that. That's what we fighting.
Teofimo Lopez
There you go. Yeah.
Charlamagne Tha God
So you. So he does agree that he special. But, I mean, he got hit. He got hit a couple times against, say, Peter, but he put himself in a position. Normally he doesn't get hit like that.
DJ Envy
That boy would have been down. Damn. You became undisputed at a young age. Like you acknowledged when you look at your career now, what part of your Legacy. Are you most focused on building next?
Teofimo Lopez
The one that's coming. That's it. The one that's coming. All that is in the past, people end up forgetting. Just gotta keep it going and. And push forward on what else you could do. Like I said before, just trying to claim more history. Yeah. Break numbers. I think we're gonna sell out the Garden. We got the big room, you know what I'm saying? So I think it's gonna be great.
Charlamagne Tha God
You called out a lot of big names. Obviously, this is a massive fight, but you called out, obviously, Bud Crawford at one point, Boots Ennis. Like, so what's. What's ahead? You saying that you're gonna beat Shakur, upset him? Like, are you going up to 147? Do you still want the big fights? Like, what?
Teofimo Lopez
I'm trusting my team. I'm gonna trust my team on this one. I. I'm not gonna do no more than that. You know, that's why you got a team. That's why everybody gets what they get from it. So trust your team. Trust the process and trust the fact that they got big plans for me the first quarter of the year and then moving forward after that. So I'm just. I'm excited. No matter what. I'm excited that I'm back on the field. I'm back fighting, getting ready. It's been a long time. Overdue. And. Yeah, just ready to, like, show people, like, to take over. For real. For real.
DJ Envy
Is this the most underestimated you felt going into a fight, or was it this way with Lomachenko as well?
Teofimo Lopez
No, no, no. Nowhere near close. Okay. But I just like the fact that I'm just keeping myself more calm and composed. Don't get me wrong. Definitely. For sure. But I just. Yeah, I just say I ain't. I ain't trying to do no more of that. I get myself in trouble for no reason. Like, I'm being my authentic self control. It's like, gets me in trouble. I'm like. So y' all just don't, like. Just don't like it? So it's like, I'd rather just. I'm trying to get deals and stuff like that in the near future, so I'd rather just keep it like this.
DJ Envy
What's the biggest misconception people still have about you?
Teofimo Lopez
That I'm crazy? Yeah. I'm not crazy. It's like, you gotta believe you're the best and the greatest to do what you do. It's not. And when you do it, she's not Crazy.
Coca-Cola Announcer
It just.
Teofimo Lopez
You was. You really smart. You're a genius.
DJ Envy
That sounds a little crazy.
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah. Really.
Teofimo Lopez
It's just that me and I was talking to my father about this, though. All right, so I know y' all been hearing about the WBC and. And Crawford and all that stuff, right? So I was thinking about this. You only become undisputed when you pay all the sanctioning fees. So by default, by him not paying that one sanctioning fee, although he beat Canelo Alvarez by default. He's not undisputed three times.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, he's undisputed. No, he's undisputed. I mean. I mean, obviously, the public knows on paper.
DJ Envy
On paper.
Charlamagne Tha God
That doesn't mean anything at this point, though.
Teofimo Lopez
They did it to me. I'mma do it to them.
Charlamagne Tha God
And the beauty of it, people, people considered you undisputed. A lot of people did consider you undisputed, even though it was on paper.
Teofimo Lopez
Not look up Wikipedia. Right now, they say unified, right? But for Crawford, they got him. And I don't get. Look, can't take nothing away from Crawford. Great fighter, one of the best that we've seen of this era. Cool. We give him that. We give him the acknowledgment. He beat Canelo, moving up so many great classes. Yeah, but when you think about it by the book, yo, that's why it's like, buy the book. If you ain't pay that sanctioning fee by default, you didn't become undisputed.
Charlamagne Tha God
Now, that happened like two months later, though.
Teofimo Lopez
We're talking about a guy that made. All right, you're talking about a guy that made, like, they saying 50m, right? Or 50 plus M's. All you had to pay was a sanctioning fee that we all do, right? Whether it's 2, 3%, he's saying 330K. But because you already did it and now people acknowledging out of it. Because what's going to happen is this. And this is what I mean, it's either going to start two things. Either they set an example on Crawford, or it becomes a movement. And what do we want to do? Right? I could say, oh, I'm a fight for this, but I'm going to defend my belts and everything like that. But if I don't, I could get away with not paying a sanctioning fee.
Charlamagne Tha God
But he. But he did pay fees to the other sanctioning bodies. His. No, but his argument was, can you guys agree to the same amount I'm giving all the other sanctioning bodies? He wasn't saying he didn't want to pay them anything. He just said, hey, there's a lot of belts, a lot of money here. The WBO is accepting X amount. You know, the other sanction.
Pharmaceutical Ad Voice
Right.
Charlamagne Tha God
So he's frustrated, like, why I have to give you guys more now? I'm not throwing a shot at the wc. I love them. I just came from Thailand working with them. But you gotta see his side as well. Everybody else agreed on whatever the number was. I don't know. He's just saying, why can't y' all follow suit and work with me and negotiate that? That's. That's Bud's argument, which is also understandable.
Teofimo Lopez
Still, take. It doesn't take away the fact that you still gotta pay that sanctioning fee to become three time Undisputed.
DJ Envy
I get what you're saying, but I. The fight is what made him three time Undisputed. I get what you're saying, I guess technically.
Charlamagne Tha God
And he beat Canelo, who was undisputed at 168.
DJ Envy
I wouldn't let them take that from you, even though they should acknowledge you as such. But you did do it.
Teofimo Lopez
Yeah, but why is it not there?
DJ Envy
I don't.
Charlamagne Tha God
I don't know.
DJ Envy
That's what y' all gotta come together.
Charlamagne Tha God
You don't think the public opinion is more important than. Than a stat in the history books?
Teofimo Lopez
I'm not even in the history books.
DJ Envy
I get what he's saying. He need to be in the history.
Charlamagne Tha God
I get it.
Teofimo Lopez
Yeah. No, I'm saying it was on ESPN for Undisputed. Yeah.
DJ Envy
If Loma would have won, they would have. They would have gave it to Loma.
Teofimo Lopez
So. So they got some shit with us, man.
DJ Envy
What do you think that is?
Teofimo Lopez
Yeah, why do you think it is? Because they think we're racist, man. No, it's not the. It's not that.
Charlamagne Tha God
I mean, but. But what about those. Those comments that people were saying that what races. And they claim that you send bananas to. To Keyshawn's room and all that. Look, I know you personally and I don't know you to be racist at all. Right. But do you regret any of those antics? And I know why. I guess I figure why you thought you had to do it like a Scarface.
Teofimo Lopez
It's a Scarface moment right now. When you see you. When you see me, point your finger. Point your fucking finger and say, that's the bad guy. I'm the bad guy of boxing.
Charlamagne Tha God
So that's what it was.
Teofimo Lopez
No, but that's what they want to Portray it as. Because no one else could do something like I do. Not the, not the whole part of the, the fruits. But let me, let me, let me regroup back on this. Let me regroup back on this though, when you asked me that question, why is it that way? I could say it's the three gateway I never chose on. I could say that I'm just trying to do something and, and, and authentically I could say that I. Probably the odds wasn't meant for me to have those flowers to do it, but something much higher caused it for me to do a cause and chain of reaction. I still don't know. But one thing I'm not going to do is, is allow something that, that is not, that is not powerful more than I am to, to dictate where I should be and how I should move my life. So yeah, because it's working. If, if it's still working, ain't broke, don't fix it. Right. And I'm, I'm maintain on that. I think certain things in this world tend to lead on. Let's just fixate it on that.
Charlamagne Tha God
Right.
Teofimo Lopez
But let's. I can know how to make you a celebrity overnight, but I ain't choose that. I just want to be the best at what I do. Yeah. And some people may not like that. So yeah, there's ways to scratch it off, rewrite it. They don't done it with the Bible and many other things. So what am I to do it? So when we got Shakur now, cool. Let's see what else we could pursue and what we could do. Let's see how much longer can my so called authenticity continue to carry on in this, in this industry of boxing.
DJ Envy
So what did you mean when you, when you said, when you're talking about Tank and Bud, you said whichever monkey wants the banana.
Teofimo Lopez
Yeah. Because it's like I'm trying to get fights and it's been leading, it's been, it's been let up for a long time. You know what I'm saying? It's been let up for a long time. So I tried different ways in different avenues, had contracts thrown and all that never happened. Nothing ever happened. So I was like, yo, you know what? I used to grow up watching young other fighters, 40s, 50s, I'm talking 1940s, 50s, where they used to go at each other like this. And then what about, oh, Mike Tyson?
Angela Yee
Tyson, yeah, yeah.
Teofimo Lopez
Mike Tyson said, I'm gonna eat your kids and this, right?
Angela Yee
Yeah.
DJ Envy
Oh, he used gay slurs too.
Teofimo Lopez
Yeah.
DJ Envy
You know what?
Teofimo Lopez
I'm saying I'm. Till you love me. Yeah, Right. So what happened to I just grew up from that hardcoreness? That's how I looked at it. You know what I mean? And that's what I love the most. Why I wanted to put on a pair of boxing gloves was because it was hardcore. It was rugged, you know, it wasn't none of this.
Charlamagne Tha God
It's a different era, though.
Teofimo Lopez
And. And that's where I had to adjust. And I was like, okay, cool. And I get where everybody coming from, but don't put me and portray me like that, because I'm just coming from what I grew up on. Not the. Not the baiting, but just the fact, like, I'm gonna just get you under your skin till we just lace it up and then really make a full pack action fight.
DJ Envy
Yeah, but why not stand on it? Like, even with the Keyshawn Davis, like, I guess it was an anonymous package of watermelons and bananas. And then you.
Teofimo Lopez
All I did was just laugh at it.
DJ Envy
Eating a banana, laughing at it. Why not stand on it and be.
Teofimo Lopez
Like, how you mean?
Charlamagne Tha God
Like, claim it, Say that you sent.
Teofimo Lopez
It because I did it. We didn't do that.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, no, I know you said on our show that you didn't do it, but if people were assuming that you did and you put in a video to Charlemagne's point, why not say I let them believe that I did it?
Teofimo Lopez
Because just like, promote the fight that you just. You just said that he has to do something.
Charlamagne Tha God
Right?
Teofimo Lopez
All right, so basically, it's like this. You. You. You put a lie out there in front of everybody's face. Let people talk about you. Now I just took away from his action of his fight leading up to a world title. Now it's on me whether it's good. There's no such thing as good or bad publicity unless you hit a woman or you cause some murder or something like that, to the point where you got a, you know, a mug shot. But other than that, it shouldn't lead to that case scenario. So I just. I went with it. But when it came to I can, I can Barack and I got on they show, I literally set it out like it is. I ain't doing that, you know, because you really didn't. Exactly.
Angela Yee
But when they.
DJ Envy
But when they label you that, then they want to keep it going. Like they said, you use the N word on Instagram Live. But you said you didn't know I did it.
Teofimo Lopez
So I rather just, you know, like, hey, if that's something the Only way that they could get me out, then I'm winning. If that is the only way you could find ways to get me out, because you can't do it in the ring. I'm winning life, I'm winning. I'm winning big time. And, and I'd rather just keep it like that. I don't, I don't come in here with a full squad. I'm not, I'm not like that. I think it takes a real man to go and do his things in a, in a mafia mafioso world and still hold it down to the T and just be like, imma do what I do and, and ain't nobody gonna stop me.
DJ Envy
Okay, what about this one? It's the last one. When you was frustrated with Top Rank, what's up? And you said if they want the black fighters, they can keep them. What'd that mean?
Teofimo Lopez
They have their selective fighters, man. I look at it like, yeah, I just want to start some chaos. You start some chaos. Let it be known. Conflict. What is all of what is everything in life, in this world and politics and all that it is starts with what conflict or chaos or conflict.
Angela Yee
I've saw articles about you where you've said or they've implied that you feel like they always choose the black fighters over you. Is that where that comes from?
Teofimo Lopez
No, no, no. Because if we really want to take it there, then look at Mayweather with Oscar De La Hoya. When they were signed with Top Rank, Oscar was getting more of the fruit of the barrier and Floyd felt like he wasn't getting his fair share to the point where he finally left with them. He had to pay 750k to leave top Rank and then they ended up fighting each other. Right? Or what about when we talk about Bernard Hopkins and Felix Trinidad and Bernard Hopkins throws the Puerto Rican flag and he got mobbed by the Puerto Ricans. So if it's gonna be, it's gonna be a double standard, then it can't be on one side anymore. And, but, but that's the thing, See, I don't got, I don't have that I guess so called agency that's behind me to support me and find ways to move around it. I'm learning on, on the job. I'm learning as I go. I'm 28, so I got God willingly. I still got time to learn from it. And that's why I've been more on the easy edge. I ain't trying to deal with it no more. I'm just going, look how I Do it. Beat whoever they put in front of me. Win impressively. Thank the universe for it all. Keep it moving.
Angela Yee
What have you lost outside of, you know, not being listed as undisputed, like, but what have you lost behind the scenes that keeps you on that easy edge? It seems like you stepping real carefully now. Like, where does that come from?
Teofimo Lopez
I think it's just, you got to plan out your years. Feel me? I don't went broke already, like, twice. I ain't trying to deal that no more filming. Eventually, people gonna blackmail you and do all this extra stuff. And that's cool. You learn with it. But knowing that you got a family, knowing you got all these things, you can't just go off of the work field thinking that it's always going to be there.
DJ Envy
What do you mean by field?
Teofimo Lopez
Just work for you.
DJ Envy
I'm just. Ladies and gentlemen, on 31 January.
Teofimo Lopez
Don't even fall for it.
DJ Envy
You can. Yeah, you can swim on them.
Teofimo Lopez
One good time.
Charlamagne Tha God
Just one good time.
DJ Envy
No, I do got one more question for him. What's that? When you're in the ring and you see. You know, when you. When you see your opponents, right? What lets them know? What lets you know that they're, like, mentally broke? Not just physically, but mentally. Like, okay, I got him mentally.
Teofimo Lopez
I guess it's my. My stance. Right away, they feel that aura. They feel that energy right away. I see their eyes is different. You can see a lot in a person with their eyes. So I always look at the eyes. So I don't know. Maybe it's just. What? I don't know how hard I do punch, but when I punch them, shit changes, right? Changes quick. So, yeah, you know, I think that's really it. Yeah, man. Why. Why you got one of them shakers, man?
DJ Envy
As a joke yesterday when. That's not a joke.
Angela Yee
But he been jerking that since he.
DJ Envy
Gave us a Christmas gift joke yesterday.
Angela Yee
He wants you to ask him.
DJ Envy
On Lopez.
Charlamagne Tha God
The fight is the 31st.
DJ Envy
Good luck fighting Shakur Stevenson at the Garden. Get your tickets if you haven't got them already. And it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Every day I wake up.
Teofimo Lopez
Wake your ass up.
DJ Envy
The Breakfast Club.
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Episode: INTERVIEW: Teofimo Lopez Talks Upcoming Boxing Match With Shakur Stevenson, Addresses Racial Controversy + More
Date: December 12, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Angela Yee, Charlamagne Tha God
Guest: Teofimo Lopez
This episode of The Breakfast Club features a candid and wide-ranging interview with boxing champion Teofimo Lopez ahead of his highly anticipated fight against Shakur Stevenson at Madison Square Garden. The conversation touches on Teofimo’s preparation and mindset for the bout, mental health, career highs and lows, past controversies including allegations of racism, and insightful takes on the politics of boxing.
“His defense is not as impeccable as people mention it.” – Teofimo Lopez ([06:16])
“It’s a blessing… it shows where we at in the pedigree of the sport. You got two prime fighters coming in, the best, fighting the best, and putting on a show in New York.” ([06:59])
“You learn with struggle, you learn with obstacles… you hit a point in your life where you start realizing there’s not much you cannot achieve.” ([08:41])
“To do that and not really get that kind of ambiance or that type of vibe from everybody else… you want the people to miss you.” ([11:27])
“I feel the fire more than ever. Got like, a blue flame on me.” ([12:03])
“I’m just very still… None of it gonna matter till we fight. None of it gonna matter till I put in the action and the work.” ([13:29])
“I ain’t really been on social right now. I just been locked in.” ([17:39])
“Just a different, toned down version of me.” ([17:35])
“They’re just mistakes in the lead up to something more… If you do [think you know everything], you might as well quit now.” ([15:52])
“I wouldn’t be the man I am without it… I’m just more… no more rah, rah. No more chill.” ([16:50])
“You only become undisputed when you pay all the sanctioning fees. So by default, by him not paying… although he beat Canelo, by default, he’s not undisputed three times.” ([27:18])
“It’s a Scarface moment right now. When you see me, point your… finger and say, that’s the bad guy. I’m the bad guy of boxing.” ([30:59]) “Don’t put me and portray me like that, because I’m just coming from what I grew up on… not the baiting, but just the fact, like, I’m going to just get you under your skin.” ([34:01])
“I literally set it out like it is. I ain’t doing that, you know, because you really didn’t.” ([35:32])
“We never lost to a southpaw out of 200 fights… since a kid, kind of understand the rhythms of it… there’s something I do to southpaws that just work in my favor.” ([23:22])
“Once you penetrate the mind, that’s it. It’s game. This is boxing… if your mind ain’t strong in this, you’re never going to accomplish anything.” – Teofimo Lopez ([06:32])
“No more rah, rah. No more chill. You want to show and prove through actions and not words… the real gonna prevail.” – Teofimo ([17:03])
“It’s a Scarface moment right now… say, that’s the bad guy. I’m the bad guy of boxing.” – Teofimo ([30:59])
“I’m not even in the history books… If Loma would have won, they would have gave it to Loma. So they’ve got some shit with us, man.” – Teofimo ([30:20])
“You learn with struggle, you learn with obstacles… There’s not much that you cannot achieve.” – Teofimo ([08:41])
Lopez comes across as honest, sometimes defensive, but introspective and focused. The conversation ranges from playful (banter with hosts and his father’s off-mic interjections) to raw and serious (discussing racial issues and personal sacrifices). Despite the controversies, he maintains a tone of professional determination and authenticity.
Summary prepared for listeners who want the core insights, spirited dialogue, and context behind Teofimo Lopez’s mindset and headline-making comments ahead of his clash with Shakur Stevenson.