Teofimo Lopez Slaps Arnold Barboza at LA Press Conference Ahead of May 2 Fight

Teofimo Lopez's tension with Arnold Barboza escalated during a press conference in Los Angeles ahead of their May 2 fight, culminating in Lopez slapping Barboza after an exchange of shoves. The incident, which drew reactions from fellow fighter Ryan Garcia, occurred as Lopez reacted to Barboza nudging his hat off. Garcia criticized Lopez's actions, stating, 'I don’t think you should do that,' while suggesting he would have reacted violently if slapped. Both fighters are on a stacked card that also features Garcia facing Rolly Romero and Devin Haney against Jose Ramirez, making the stakes for their bouts significantly high. Lopez, who is on a six-fight winning streak, aims to reclaim his standing in the boxing world after a hiatus since June 2022, while Barboza seeks to secure the WBO super lightweight title. The event marks Ring Magazine's first boxing show in New York's Times Square, highlighting the significance of this matchup.