- What: Teofimo Lopez vs Josh Taylor
- Where: Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, NYC
- When: Saturday, June 10th
One of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year is finally here as Teofimo Lopez and Josh Taylor go toe to toe, with Taylor WBO and The Ring super lightweight championships currently on the line. This bout will take place at the Hulu Theater inside Madison Square Garden. These two have never stepped in the ring together but there is a clear hatred. Lopez hasn't fought since December of 2022, while Taylor last threw fists over a year ago. Keep reading for the Teofimo Lopez vs Josh Taylor picks.
Before we get into the odds and predictions for this fight, check out the best boxing betting sites and where you can find our sportsbook reviews.
Teofimo Lopez vs Josh Taylor Odds
Taylor, who hails from Scotland, is the favorite here at all three sportsbooks. He's sitting at -180 odds for an implied win probability of 64.29%. Lopez comes back at +160 and has a 38.46% chance of coming out victorious. This bout should be very entertaining, especially due to all the trash talk leading up to it.
Fight Preview
Lopez will be fighting in his backyard here. The 25-year-old was born in Brooklyn but fought for his homeland of Honduras at the 2016 Olympics. Since deciding to take his talents to the pro ranks, Lopez owns a 19-1 record with 13 knockouts. That includes a massive win over Vasiliy Lomachenko back in 2020, who just lost to Devin Haney. However, Lopez did finally lose in November of 2021 to Aussie George Kambosos Jr at this exact same venue by split decision. In the process, he gave up the WBA, WBO, IBF, and The Ring lightweight titles.
However, Lopez snatched back the WBO international light welterweight title in his most recent bout against Sandor Martin at MSG in December via split decision in the 10th round. He landed 97 punches in total in the fight, including 76 power punches, eventually wearing down Martin.
This can be considered a redemption fight for Lopez. He's had some issues since that Kambosos Jr defeat and even changed promoters. Plus, Lopez does seem to be incredibly angry ahead of Saturday, even saying he wants to kill Taylor. When Lopez is on he is difficult to beat, but it remains to be seen if his head is in the right place. Only time will tell, but he does have home advantage.
Taylor is seven years older than Lopez at 32 years old but he is as tough as nails. The Tartan Tornado has gone 19-0 in his career, notching 13 knockouts. Considering Taylor has never lost, it's understandable why he's a favorite here. However, the Scot could be rusty. He last fought 15 months ago against Jack Catterral and it was very controversial, despite retaining the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring light-welterweight titles.
Taylor is clearly the bigger fighter between these two, but you'd have to wonder if he will be a little bit timid after such a long layoff. Although Lopez does have more power in his punches, Taylor is gritty and won't go down easy. He is battle-tested. Neither fighter has ever been knocked out and I just have a feeling this bout will probably be decided through split or unanimous decision.
If Taylor does win Saturday, he could set up a rematch with Regis Prograis, who he beat in 2019 in a 12-round marathon. There is lots at stake for Taylor here and he can also retain two titles. To be honest, the Scotland native is the more composed fighter and certainly more mature. Lopez has gone through some things and it's hard to believe he's going to be laser-focused. I mean, stating you want to put your opposition in a grave is a bit much.
Over/Under Value
Aside from betting on the actual bout, there is always value in the over/under in rounds as well. Here, I'm loving the over 10.5 rounds. Here's why. For Lopez, his last five bouts have gone a minimum of 10 rounds. As for Taylor, he's stayed in the ring for 12 rounds in six consecutive fights. Saturday has the makings of a downright war that will probably be decided by points.
Teofimo Lopez vs Josh Taylor Picks
As just mentioned, we'll go over 10.5 rounds at -220 odds via BetOnline as our first pick. Next, we're taking the Josh Taylor moneyline. He's cool, calm, and collected. Sure, it's been a long while since he graced the canvas, but like I previously said, Lopez seems a little bit wild right now. Take the Scot.
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