Stephen Edwards Says Teofimo Lopez Needs Therapist First

“I think he should start off with a therapist or sports psychologist,” Edwards said to his readers in his mailbag at Boxingscene. “I say that respectfully.”

Lopez defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020, back when the Ukrainian was widely regarded as the sport’s pound-for-pound king. Edwards described that win as one of the decade’s best, yet noted the instability that followed.

The decline began in November 2021 with a 12-round split decision loss to George Kambosos Jr. in his first title defense. A move to the 140-lb division the next year brought similar struggles against Sandor Martin. Those problems resurfaced against Jamaine Ortiz in 2024. That dominant win over Josh Taylor looked like a return to form, but the old struggles returned in his next few fights.

Edwards said Lopez’s inability to adjust during fights stands out more than any single technical flaw. He noted that Lopez tends to perform at one extreme or the other. He is either controlling the fight or failing to find solutions once early plans break down.

“Either he’s on fire all night, or he’s struggling all night,” Edwards said. “He doesn’t start out struggling, figure out his opponent, then go on to victory.”

Edwards also pointed to structural challenges tied to Lopez’s stance. His physical dimensions can make it harder to apply pressure consistently against longer opponents. Those issues, however, were secondary to the mental demands placed on any trainer attempting to stabilize Lopez’s performance.

“If Teo does decide to move on to a new trainer, that trainer will really have his work cut out,” Edwards said.

Teofimo remains one of boxing’s most gifted fighters. Edwards’ comments suggest the challenge ahead involves rebuilding his confidence as much as it does refining his technique. Consistency, it seems, is the first priority.