Bob Arum Won’t Offer Teofimo Lopez 135-Pound Matchups, Has To Move Up To 140

Don’t expect to see Teofimo Lopez fight at 135 pounds again.

The former lightweight champion recently lost his titles to George Kambosos Jr. in November after suffering a unanimous decision defeat.

It was later revealed that Lopez — who has always struggled to make 135 pounds — could have dealt with fatal consequences as doctors later found air in his chest or pneumomediastinum for the scientific term.

One wrong shot could have resulted in a collapsed lung for Lopez who also happens to be an asthmatic.

And with his symptoms worsening after he was rehydrating as soon as he made weight, Top Rank Boxing promoter Bob Arum wants to make sure he only fights at 140 going forward.

“Again, it’s something that fighters have to avoid,” Arum told iFL TV (via BoxingScene). “He didn’t go about getting down the way he should have. He got dehydrated. He had problems with his lungs and his esophagus. He almost died. I told him, ‘make sure you’re OK.’

“I’ll meet with him and his father and no more 135 pounds, and fight at 140.”

Bob Arum: Teofimo Lopez Should Fight In His Division

Lopez has drained himself to make the 135-pound limit when he is clearly oversized for the division.

However, being oversized is one of the reasons many fighters choose to cut huge amounts of weight so they can gain an advantage.

Arum, however, is not a fan.

“He has to [move up in weight],” Arum added. “The one thing I hate about the sport of boxing is making weight artificially because they think it gives them an advantage, and it probably does, fighting at a division they really shouldn’t be at.

“They should be at a higher division, but everybody gets themselves down to fight in the lower divisions because they then have a size advantage over their opponent.”

Do you think Teofimo Lopez will move up? How do you rate his chances at 140 pounds?