Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos Jr. betting odds, preview, and pick

In a case of better late than never, Teofimo Lopez and George Kambosos Jr. are finally set to clash on Saturday, Nov. 27. Let's examine this long-awaited bout, beginning with the latest betting odds.

A long layoff may affect Lopez

After continuous delays, including changes in venues and networks, Lopez is finally making the first defense of his lightweight title. It seems like ages ago, but Lopez is coming off dethroning boxing’s pound-for-pound darling, Vasiliy Lomachenko, in a bout where he proved too crafty for the master boxer.

On paper, Lopez has every conceivable advantage over Kambosos, including power, speed, experience, and overall skill. The big issue is how the layoff and constant changes will impact his conditioning and motivation, potentially turning an easy fight into a rough one.

Kambosos is a long shot

Kambosos’ wins over Mickey Bey and Lee Selby weren’t exactly scintillating, but he got the job done and has been champing at the bit to get a crack at Lopez. While he’s a tier below the fighters Lopez has faced recently, he’s coming in with a head of steam and nothing to lose.

Kambosos can put on decent pressure, and he’ll have to take a few risks to target Lopez’s body to try and knock some air out of his tires. The best chance he has of winning is hoping he can hang tough early and capitalize late, should Lopez tire.

Lopez will win quick and easy

Lopez will knock Kambosos out, plain and simple. Without established punching power and a predictable offense, he’ll square up to Lopez and give him an easy target. Even at his best, Kambosos barely crossed the finish line against the ancient Bey and undersized Selby, suggesting he’ll get bowled over by any of the top lightweights. He’s the classic mandatory filler fight, a guy we didn’t know about then, and one we won’t talk about later.

This fight comes down to how long Lopez wants to let it last, and recent comments indicate he wants to be done with Kambosos as soon as possible.

One thing about Lopez is that he can come out firing with bad intentions, or work behind a technical approach and achieve similar success. I personally figure he’ll go for an early victory, and will knock Kambosos out within the first five rounds.

Boxing free pick: Lopez