The star ratings indicate how well the writer believes the fighters match up, the fight(s)’ contextual significance, and how good the fight(s) will be
MAIN EVENT
IT’S odd to think two world-class fighters need a big win this year in order to forget victories from last year – especially when neither of them lost that year – but that’s the shared aim this Saturday night (June 10) when Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez clash in New York.
A vital fight for both, Taylor needs Lopez in order to quieten the noise that followed a controversial win over Jack Catterall last February, whereas Lopez needs Taylor in order to quieten the noise in his own head. Both are on winning runs and seemingly, on paper at least, in a good place, career-wise, yet it’s in the finer details you find the truth.
It’s in the finer details you understand the significance of this fight and why, for both, it represents more than just the opportunity to leave Madison Square Garden as the WBO super-lightweight belt-holder. For both, this is more about restoring reputation and being viewed as the best 140lbs fighter in the world. It is about
