NEW YORK – Arnold Barboza Jr. doesn’t respect how Teofimo Lopez promotes fights, nor the way his rival behaves away from boxing.

The WBO interim junior welterweight champion admits that Lopez has ascended to his prominent position in the 140-pound division for a reason. Barboza doesn’t see pound-for-pound prowess in Lopez, however, and can’t envision their 12-round match May 2 becoming as difficult an assignment as oddsmakers and most experts expect.

Two months removed from another impressive performance on the road, an increasingly confident Barboza believes he will upset Lopez as part of The Ring’s “FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves” pay-per-view event in Times Square. DraftKings lists Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) as approximately a 2-1 favorite to beat Barboza (32-0, 11 KOs), but Barboza is certain he will leave the ring with his unblemished record intact.

“I think he’s an athlete,” Barboza told The Ring. “I think he’s athletic, but I’m also athletic. It’s gonna be a great fight. I think he’s athletic. I think he has some good traits. You know, as a fighter you gotta give props when props are due, right? I think he’s a good fighter, but I don’t think he’s anything special. I’ve always said it. You know, I think people think he’s gonna beat me. But I’m gonna come out with the upset. I think I’m gonna make it one-sided and people are gonna be surprised.”

Lopez is 5-0 since Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. (then 19-0) upset him by split decision in their 12-round lightweight title fight in November 2021 in New York’s Theater at Madison Square Garden. Two of Lopez’s victories during this winning streak were debatable, though.

Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin (then 40-2) dropped Lopez once and probably should’ve been credited with a second knockdown in December 2022 at Madison Square Garden. Lopez still edged Martin by split decision in their 10-rounder, Lopez’s second appearance as a full-fledged junior welterweight.

The Brooklyn-born Lopez soundly defeated former undisputed 140-pound champ Josh Taylor (then 19-0) in his following fight to win the Ring and WBO 140-pound championships. Another significant underdog, Jamaine Ortiz, tested Lopez in his first defense of those titles, but Ortiz (then 17-1-1) lost a 12-round unanimous decision in February 2024 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Barboza’s back-to-back victories over former WBC/WBO 140-pound champ Jose Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) and top contender Jack Catterall (30-2, 13 KOs) have elevated his status in their division during the past five months.

The El Monte, California native definitively outboxed Ramirez, whom Barboza beat by unanimous decision in a 10-round bout November 16 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Traveling to England to face Catterall resulted in a 12-round, split-decision win against the British southpaw February 15 at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, earned Barboza his temporary WBO belt and led to an opportunity to finally oppose Lopez, a former unified lightweight champ.

Lopez-Barboza will be the second of four pay-per-view fights DAZN will distribute for $59.99 in the United States. Consumers in the U.S. can also bundle the May 2 show with another DAZN Pay-Per-View event the next night in Riyadh for $89.99.

Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) will battle unbeaten Cuban William Scull (23-0, 9 KOs) in the 12-round main event of a Riyadh Season card May 3. They’ll fight for Alvarez’s Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight titles and Scull’s IBF 168-pound championship.