The Ring and WBO junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez Jr. anticipates toying with Arnold Barboza Jr. when they meet on May 2 as part of the Ring Magazine card in Times Square, New York on DAZN PPV.

“I'm going to give the people what they want to see, and that's entertainment and a show on fight night,” Lopez told The Ring in an interview. “I know what I am doing. I know how much pressure I am putting on myself. Pressure for me doesn't bust pipes, it makes diamonds. I am going to show everybody why he's an amateur, just like I showed everyone why Josh Taylor was an amateur and why Vasiliy Lomachenko can’t f*** with me.”

Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) unified the lightweight titles in 2020 when he beat Lomachenko but suffered his first career loss in 2021 against George Kambosos Jr.

He’s been fighting as a junior welterweight ever since, beating the likes of Pedro Campa, Sandor Martin, Taylor, Jamaine Ortiz, and Steve Claggett. Lopez’s last four fights have gone the distance, and his only knockout at 140 pounds came against Campa. He was also dropped by Martin, and after picking up the split decision win, he wondered aloud if he still had it.

Lopez hasn’t fought since June and he’ll be featured as the second fight on a four-bout bill that is headlined by Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando Romero and Devin Haney vs. Jose Ramirez. It’ll mark the first time in over five years that Lopez hasn’t headlined his own show.

“I've done it all. I've inspired all of these chumps that are on this card,” said Lopez. “We did it the righteous way. That's what earns my task and gift to be on this card.”

The WBO mandatory challenger Barboza (32-0, 11 KOs), meanwhile, has been cutting in close over his last three contests, a split decision win against Sean McComb last April, a narrow 10-round unanimous decision win against the former 140-pound unified champion Jose Ramirez in November, and a split decision win against Jack Catterall in February.

“Barboza has had close fights,” said Lopez. “He looked like trash and was terrible versus McComb. He's just another Kambosos that they are bringing along to my life and cycle. But this time there are no postponements and a year-long preparation.”