Teofimo Lopez is targeting a UK showdown with Josh Taylor and believes he would stop his rival.
Lopez is the number one contender to Taylor’s WBO super lightweight crown, the only remaining belt the Scot has after vacating his IBF, WBC and WBA titles ahead of a rematch with Jack Catterall next year.
The former undisputed champion was dropped before securing a controversial split decision win over Catterall in February and Lopez, who campaigns for the second time at 140lbs on Saturday against Sandor Martin in New York, insists he is willing to face his Top Rank promotional stablemate in his own backyard.
“I’d tear him up, from the body to the head, he’s not going to know which one I’m going to hurt him with,” the 25-year-old told Sky Sports News.
“It’s going to be a great night. I honestly believe that I’ll knock him out too.
“I actually will put him down better than what Catterall did. He won’t come back up, that’s all I can tell you guys.
“A lot of people would like to see me take on Josh Taylor, and I’ve been calling him out.
“Especially to do it out there in the UK, I really want to experience that.
“I need to experience it and branch out in the sense of giving my love back to the UK – I’m getting so much from the UK it’s time that we give it back.”
The Brooklyn native halted Pedro Campa in the seventh round in his maiden bout at super lightweight in August, having moved up in weight after losing his unified lightweight titles in a shock loss to George Kambosos Jr.
’The Takeover’ was set to face former two-weight world champion, Jose Pedraza, although he withdrew through illness with Martin, who has a career-best scalp over Mikey Garcia on his record, stepping in at Madison Square Garden.
“We don’t overlook any fighter,” he added.
“Pedraza, he definitely has a resume of his own, but things happen and I’m glad the way it turned out – for the betterment of my career and for everyone else out there.
“Everyone’s been talking about this fight, the WBC actually declared this as an eliminator, and look at it now, we’re getting it earlier.
“Christmas came early for everyone out here.”
