Teofimo Lopez Admits Father Failed Against Shakur Stevenson, Reveals Emotional Fight Week

“My father is my coach he just didn't give me the right instructions that night,” Lopez said to the Daily Mail. “He brought me down more than telling me what to do. When everyone is against you, and you feel that your back is against the wall, in those moments you have to have your fighter and tell him the right things. Get up. You have this. I can't always motivate myself. That's why you have a team.”

Teofimo said he even agreed with fans who were hesitant to play in his corner after the fight.

“Oh yeah. I agree with them. I totally agree with them. They're not wrong in what they're hearing,” Lopez said.

The former light welterweight champion also experienced the emotions of the day before the fight, he revealed that he suddenly started crying while sitting with his mother because he felt that there was a big change coming.

“I looked at my mother, I just cried. I think a lot about the pain that maybe something is coming,” said Teofimo about him crying before his fight with Shakur. “I don't know if it was saying goodbye to something, but just a moment to reflect and be grateful for the time.”

Asked what he meant, Teofimo said he now believes that defeat means the beginning of a new chapter in his career.

“I think it was time. I think it was something I asked for in a way. I wanted a change. Don't get me wrong, I won't take away what he did. He killed. They fought amazingly. But I like stories that come back,” said Teofimo.

Lopez said the loss also convinced her to trust her feelings more. He's got childhood trainer Milton Lacroy back in his corner and plans to make changes to his preparation as he moves up to welterweight.

The 28-year-old has verbally agreed to challenge WBA welterweight champion Rolando Romero in Las Vegas on August 22, and the fight is expected to be official once the remaining paperwork is completed.