He may have handed Josh Taylor his first ever defeat but boxing can do without Teofimo Lopez’s vile comments

TRASH-TALKING is one thing but when fighters make serious-sounding death threats, boxing chiefs should take the severest disciplinary action.

Teofimo Lopez made such a depraved statement in a TV interview before challenging Scotland’s Josh Taylor for his WBO world super-lightweight title, the fight last Saturday was in danger of being called off.

Brooklyn’s Lopez, who has suffered mental health problems, said: “I say it like it is — I wanna kill Josh Taylor.

“The only way I can make a statement is by taking his life.”

Horrified executives at ESPN, the TV cable company showing the Madison Square Garden fight, realised Lopez wasn’t kidding around.

After much soul-searching they decided to let the show go on.

Though Taylor was well beaten on points, losing his unbeaten record and his belt, only his pride was hurt.

Can you imagine the dire consequences  if Taylor had ended up fighting for his life?

At least Lopez publicly apologised to the Edinburgh man, claiming he’d allowed his emotions to get the better of him.

But the New York State Athletic Commission should still have punished Lopez with a hefty fine because his kind of rhetoric doesn’t do boxing any favours.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen too many ring tragedies in my time. Boxers feel they have to hype their fights to create interest.

But I get sick to my stomach when I hear them talk about putting rivals in hospital or coffins.

Mike Tyson used to make the flesh crawl with some of his ambitions.

Before fighting Jesse Ferguson he said he wanted to punch him on the tip of his nose and drive it into his brain.

Then there was Marvin Hagler.

He was once asked  if he was worried one of his punches might blind Sugar Ray Leonard, who’d had surgery for a detached retina.

His disgraceful reply? “I want to knock it out and watch it roll across the canvas.”

I was there — he meant it.

It must never be forgotten that boxing is life-threatening at every level.

Two weeks ago we were reminded  again of this when South African featherweight Ludumo Lamati, 31, collapsed in a coma with a bleed on the brain after being stopped in the 12th round by Nick Ball in Belfast.

Promoter Frank Warren flew in his mother and girlfriend to be at his hospital bedside and they were there when he regained consciousness and began talking.

Hopefully, he’s on his way to a full recovery.

Malicious pre-fight talk  should be made an offence by the authorities.

Banter can be very humorous and Muhammad Ali was the master.

Before one of his fights with Floyd Patterson, he said: “I’ll beat him so bad he’ll need a shoehorn to put on his hat.”

And about his biggest rival he quipped: “Joe Frazier’s so ugly, when he cries the tears turn around and go down the back of his head.”

While  Ali  also revealed: “I’ve seen George Foreman shadow box — and the shadow won.”

Boxing can do without Lopez’s vile contribution.

Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk