Teofimo Lopez cannot understand why he is the subject of so much hate, especially from his 135-pound peers. 

The WBO/IBF/WBA lightweight champion imagined that he would have had more support from the top fighters across the division after he defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko last October to unify three of the four major sanctioning body belts. 

But that has not been the case at all, apparently. From Ryan Garcia to WBC titleholder Devin Haney and et al., Lopez says he has had to fend off one discourteous remark another another, even though, in Lopez’s view, his critics don’t have a leg to stand on. 

“A lot of these young fighters, they feel some type of way with me,” Lopez said in an interview with IFL TV. “I’m just like, man, really? Like, all I ever did was give you love and you want to treat me like that? Alright, f--- you, too, then. It’s like that. 

“Like what the f--- have you done? Are you undisputed? No. Can you look at me that way — no. What have you done with 16 fights? Buy a chain? Get the f--- out of here. Know what I mean? This is the real game. I got tired of it. For real. People started disrespecting me in some way because they felt butt hurt. What, I wasn’t supposed to win against Lomachenko? Nah. I’m the best at what I do. I’m the best, forget the rest.”

Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) is bound to defend his lightweights titles against Aussie George Kambosos Jr. (19-0, 10 KOs). The most recent date mention for the fight is Oct. 16 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, but it remains to be seen if the card will actually materialize. The promoter, Triller, has delayed the fight numerous times ever since they bought the rights to the matchup earlier at the start of the year. 

“I’m gonna make sure [I’m the best] on October sixteenth,” Lopez said. “I’m gonna make sure of it, again, when I fight [undisputed 140-pounder] Josh Taylor, whenever that comes about. I will make sure of it, whoever they put in front of me.”

Taylor and Lopez share the same promoter in Top Rank. 

Lopez believes that none of his divisional cohorts should be allowed to give him grief until they have achieved what he himself has already accomplished. As far as posterity and legacy are concerned Lopez, 24, already feels his place is secure in boxing history. 

“We had to have these greats,” Lopez said. “We had to have Tyson, the [Muhammad] Alis, the Joe Louises, the Willie Peps, the Rocky Marcianos, I mean we gotta have all these guys. The list can go on and on. Boxing has been around since the 1800s."

“If anything ever happens to me, sh!t I’m always going to be good, because I’m with the greats,” Lopez continued. “You know what I'm saying? I’m with the greats. Come at me when you’re with the greats. Come at me when you’re hanging with the greats. When you’re hanging with the greats, then you can come at me sideways. Until then, you can disrespect me all you won, but that’s not going to faze me.”