The former trainer of Teofimo ‘The Takeover’ Lopez 16-1 (12) has questioned why the former undisputed lightweight champion didn’t move up in weight instead of facing mandatory contender George ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos Jr 20-0 (10).
Kambosos, 28, of Sydney, Australia dropped Lopez with a counter right hand in the opening round before hitting the deck himself in the 10th. But it was the challenger who clearly outboxed the champion for the majority of rounds, winning a split decision by scores of 115-112, 115-111 and 113-114 at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden last November.
Lopez was a short-priced favourite going in to the fight following his surprise points victory over pound-for-pound level fighter Vasiliy Lomachenko 16-2 (11) in Las Vegas a year earlier.
Joey Gamache, who worked with Lopez for his previous two fights, cited his struggles to make weight as part of the reason for the 24-year-old’s loss.
“I know Lopez really well. I was in his last two camps when he beat [Richard] Commey and when he beat Loma,” Gamache said to Boxing Social.
“I was disappointed [by Lopez’s loss to George Kambosos] because here’s a big lightweight that belongs at junior welterweight that wasn’t figured out to move him up to the next step.
“He probably felt that Kambosos was there to beat, and there was a lot of money on the table. Why not take advantage of being a unified champion.
“I think when you look back at it, it was a mistake because the move was the move him up [rather than allowing Lopez to stay at 135-pounds to face Kambosos].
“It was unfortunate that he lost the fight because he was champion when the titles could have been given up. But I’m sure he’ll come back strong and do well.”
Gamache added that Lopez’s promoter Top Rank will need to plot a careful course to get him back into the mix at junior welterweight.
“They have got to maneuver him a little more now,” he said. “They can’t just throw him deep end. He’s got to come back from that loss. It’ll be interesting to see where his career goes.”
Gamache also hinted at why he wasn’t included in the Lopez camp for Kambosos.
“There were a few things there,” he said. “Financially speaking, as far as they weren’t working with Top Rank at the time, even though Top Rank is their promoter, they got out-bid by Eddie Hearn [of Matchroom Boxing] and first was Triller.
“So that changed some of the dynamics there were expenses. There wasn’t money to be covered by Top Rank where they usually cover it. But they figured, ‘we’re not promoting it, so we’re not going to cover that’.
“I would have liked to have been in the camp and seen them win, but this is boxing. This is how things happen. Sometimes big things are overlooked and it’s difficult.”
Gamache added he is yet to speak to Lopez following his first career loss.
“I haven’t talked to him,” he said. “I got a lot of respect from him. He’s a good man; he’s a father and also the son, the father, we’ve all worked together.
“I know there have been some very critical errors of the father. Hey, that’s boxing. You’re on top one minute, and the next minute, you can be in another place.
“But as far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a problem with them. I wish them nothing but the best. What will be, will be.”
