Teofimo Lopez is chasing legacy and bigger fights. But few are ready to stand across from him inside the squared circle. So, when Steve Claggett raised his hand and put his John Hancock on the contract, it attracted some eyeballs. It’s a typical underdog story for the challenger, where everyone wants to put their chips behind the champion. Are they wrong? Has the Canadian fighter what it takes to cause a massive upset by beating the former unified lightweight champion?

The fans will find out when they witness the two enter the James L. Knight Center, put on a show, and fight it out for the WBO and The Ring magazine super lightweight titles. The question looms larger. Is there a major shakeup on offer besides the exciting action? Before we make that call, let’s have a look at how the two boxers stack up before their high-stakes fight.

Teofimo Lopez vs. Steve Claggett: tale of tape

Lopez, at 26, is in the prime of his boxing career, which has matched his outsized personality. The American boxer has shocked the fans on numerous occasions and stood tall whenever pitted against an elite fighter. His impressive record of 20-1 with 13 KOs has a few notable names that turn heads. What has worked in his favor is his peak athleticism and aggressive approach, which are reflected in his KO ratio of 65%. While ‘The Takeover’ is not the tallest of the fighters at 140, as his height and reach measure 5’8″ (173 cm) and 68.5″ (174 cm), respectively, he compensates for it in the power. But is it enough for him to brush aside the challenger?

Claggett is more experienced of the two at 35, with more fights under his belt. The fans might not put him in the same category as other top fighters, but he has worked enough, even going undefeated in the last three years and improving his record to 38-7 with 26 KOs. The Calgary native matches the champion in aggression and fast-forward approach and even edges him out with his slightly better KO ratio of 68.42%. And that’s not it.

Do you know that both share identical heights? In addition, nothing separated the two when they stood on the scales, the champion weighed in at 139.4 lbs, whereas Claggett’s scales tipped at 139.5 lbs. The latter has a longer lever and a reach advantage of 70.0″ (178 cm). How will he utilize it?

Prediction: X factor, and where the fight might be won?

What has worried the fans recently is Lopez’s hot-and-cold form. While in the fights against Josh Taylor and Vasyl Lomachenko, he was at the top of his game. He barely scraped wins against Jamaine Ortiz this February and Sandor Martin in December 2022. Despite his flashy style, he has turned in lackluster performances recently, inviting criticism. The Brooklyn native still remains a boxer-puncher with offensive tools, which, when coupled with his overall skillset, hand speed, and punching power, can out-muscle anyone at 140.

So, what is Lopez’s X factor that might help him cruise to a comfortable win? It’s his aggression, that overwhelmed the likes of Taylor and could do the same damage to Claggett. But Claggett has the experience to deal with it. The ‘Dragon’ has fought former champions, shows up to the fight, and doesn’t shy away from engaging.

Moreover, Claggett is a fighter who prefers to dictate pace, comes forward, lets his hands go free, and attacks the body. At the same time, he leaves himself open with gaps, leaving himself to be hit. And it’s a tailor-made situation for Lopez, who might exploit Claggett’s high guard and holes to land explosive counters. But the challenger’s X factor is his granite chin. He has only been knocked out once in his 45-fight-long career and might absorb whatever Lopez throws at him. What will the champion do then? We’ll find out this Saturday.

What do you make of this coming fight between Teofimo Lopez and Steve Claggett? Who do you believe will emerge victorious on June 29? Will the gold strap exchange hands? Let us know in the comments below.