140 Pounds Is Shaping Up To Be The Best Division In Boxing

Large6/15/2023 8:00 PM

The NBA is over... The NHL is done... The Dozen is on break. So, outside of baseball, where are you going to spend your precious sport-viewing time this summer?

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Fair enough, but before you switch to hard-core pornography, might I recommend carving out a little time for boxing?… Because it is officially a GREAT time to be a fan.

Last week, we got a big upset… Not HUGE, but big… Underdog Teofimo Lopez dominated Josh Taylor at MSG to grab Josh's WBO light welterweight strap.

(Not Josh Taylor, I know… Couldn't get licensing for a clip.)

I was there, and the only complaint I had was when they asked Teofimo afterward what his next fight will be, he told the Garden crowd, "My next fight will be in court to get custody of my son."

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And everybody cringed… Teo's messy divorce is no secret, but it is also not what the Honduran/NYC crowd was looking to discuss after Lopez just staked his claim as one of the top dogs at 140 pounds.

Teofimo quickly retired after the match, which is utter bullshit, and the reason I mention all this is that there is another light-welterweight match this weekend. The winner walks away with the WBC belt and is put on a collision course with inevitably un-retired Teofimo Lopez.

Regis Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs) was expected to make his first WBC light welterweight title defense against Liam Paro in the main event of Saturday's DAZN card at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, but Paro withdrew due to an injury and was replaced by Danielito Zorrilla (17-1, 13 KOs).

Zorilla should be easily outclassed by Prograis in this one, leaving Regis with only one loss on his record… Versus the guy that Teo destroyed last week.

Meaning the Teo/Prograis fight could get done.

And even if it doesn't, every sexy fighter in the lightweight division (135 pounds) will be trending towards 140, so throw Tank Davis (when he gets out of prison), Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and eventually Shakur Stevenson into the pile of big-money fights at light welterweight as well.

A lot to consider, and a ton to keep an eye on going to July.