That is in all probability the one sentence Teofimo Lopez would agree with: He may’ve been a lot larger than he’s proper now.
Lopez is a two-division champion. Not only a titleholder. He was the king of the lightweights, however his reign was quick and disappointing, each inside the ring and out of doors of it. He’s now the lineal junior welterweight champ, the person who beat the person. But he needs to be doing rather more to rule over his kingdom, particularly a kingdom this filled with potential challengers to his throne.
As a substitute, Lopez had a disappointing 2024 that has bled into 2025. He’s greater than six months faraway from his final struggle and has not but introduced his subsequent. He’s as soon as once more at odds along with his promoter, Prime Rank. He’s primarily current on social media, the place he’s sending photographs at Prime Rank and going backwards and forwards with boxing followers and observers. He upset many individuals final 12 months through the use of racist terminology in an interview. And he’s had private {and professional} splits – going by a divorce along with his spouse and reportedly parting methods along with his supervisor as properly.
In some ways, Lopez is sabotaging himself. And this isn’t the primary time.
Lopez was closely featured on Prime Rank exhibits on the finish of the final decade, spotlighted as he transitioned from prospect to contender to titleholder. His 44-second knockout of Mason Menard was the right highlight-reel victory for a December 2018 present headlined by Vasiliy Lomachenko and capturing a number of the vital viewers that tuned into ESPN to look at that 12 months’s Heisman Trophy award winner announcement.
Lopez fought 4 instances in 2019, all on ESPN, ESPN+ or ESPN pay-per-view, stopping Diego Magdaleno and Edis Tatli, successful a large choice over Masayoshi Nakatani and making fast work of Richard Commey to win the IBF world title.
He was a rising star. Quickly he could be a falling star, trapped in a black gap of his personal creation.
By October 2020, Lopez had entered Lomachenko’s orbit. Physics isn’t a one-way equation, although. Lomachenko additionally needed to take care of the gravity of the scenario. He began gradual in opposition to Lopez, probably pacing himself and defending a preexisting shoulder harm, but additionally respectful of his opponent’s dimension and expertise. Lomachenko opened up within the second half of the struggle however couldn’t overcome the deficit.
Lopez was the brand new light-weight champion. After which he disappeared for greater than a 12 months. Not all of that was Lopez’s fault.
There have been a whole lot of twists and turns on this saga, so we’ll attempt to maintain it to the Cliff’s Notes: Lopez felt his inventory had risen significantly within the wake of the Lomachenko victory and needed a minimal of $5 million for future fights. Lopez was ordered to face obligatory challenger George Kambosos Jnr. Prime Rank misplaced the purse bid, which the then-nascent Triller gained with an enormous bid of greater than $6 million to be break up between the 2 boxers. The struggle was scheduled for June 2021 however was postponed when Lopez, who wasn’t vaccinated, contracted the coronavirus. Triller misplaced thousands and thousands of {dollars} that had been spent on advertising, logistics and different prices.
Triller spent much more on the rescheduled bout, which went from one date to a different, and from location to location. Triller thought it may recoup a few of its bills in Australia, the place bigger occasions might be held at that time of the pandemic. Lopez didn’t wish to go there and take care of that nation’s obligatory quarantine. The IBF stepped in and the struggle was moved to early October in New York Metropolis. However Triller picked a date that was the identical night as Monday Evening Soccer, a horrible thought for promoting a pay-per-view.
On very late discover, Triller pushed the struggle date again by 12 days, a tough ask for fighters who’re attempting to make weight and hit peak type on the proper time. Lopez agreed anyway. Kambosos demanded more cash. Triller tried to have Kambosos faraway from the struggle. The IBF dominated that Triller had forfeited its rights to advertise the bout. Matchroom Boxing wound up taking up and staged the present in late November. And Lopez, who could have taken his opponent too flippantly, suffered an upset loss, dropping a break up choice to Kambosos.Lopez was promptly identified with a harmful bodily ailment that affected his respiration. There have been warning indicators that issues weren’t all proper with Lopez psychologically, too, that he was struggling along with his psychological well being. He spoke weeks earlier than the occasion of contemplating suicide. And he laid himself worryingly naked whereas assembly with DAZN’s broadcast crew simply earlier than the Kambosos bout, as recapped on this wonderful post-fight column by Corey Erdman.Why recap a lot of the previous? As a result of there are echoes of it within the current.
Lopez moved as much as junior welterweight in 2022 and has had 5 fights since. He’s been inconsistent when it comes to the extent of expertise he faces and the extent of expertise he displays. Lopez gained a break up choice over Sandor Martin in December 2022 however then outpointed Josh Taylor for the WBO title and lineal championship in June 2023. Neither of his defenses in 2024 was inspiring. Lopez retained in opposition to Jamaine Ortiz final February, although some really feel Ortiz ought to have acquired the nod. Victory was a lot clearer in opposition to Steve Claggett in June, although Claggett wasn’t overly completed or deserving of the title shot.
Lopez is in a weight class with fellow titleholders Richardson Hitchins (IBF), Jose Valenzuela (WBA) and Alberto Puello (WBC), with contenders and former titleholders resembling Arnold Barboza, Jack Catterall, Devin Haney, Subriel Matias and Liam Paro, amongst others. He’s spoken of wanting to maneuver as much as welterweight to face Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
He hasn’t fought for the reason that win over Claggett; his ongoing marital points, relationship again greater than three years, have understandably added much more to his different struggles.
Lopez hasn’t carried out himself any favors both.
He’s frequently bristled through the years at what he feels is a disparity between the cash he thinks he brings Prime Rank and ESPN and the way a lot he’s compensated – versus what he feels he deserves to be compensated.
He’s blamed others, like Haney, for not accepting fights, however Lopez additionally hasn’t accepted the phrases despatched his manner for a struggle with Matias. He says he’s “too costly for Prime Rank” and needs a buyout.
“His Prime Rank contract extends by nevertheless lengthy he waits to struggle once more as a result of they supplied a minimum of his minimal (considerably extra, truly) for the Matias struggle,” wrote boxing reporter Keith Idec.
Lopez’s WBO title ought to give him a bargaining chip at junior welterweight. “Ought to” being the operative time period. However his present scenario has led the WBO to name for an interim title bout between Barboza and Catterall.
Barring a buyout, maybe one of the best ways for Lopez and Prime Rank to maneuver on could be for him to complete out his contract after which head into the open market. Nonetheless, it’s additionally comprehensible if a fighter prefers sure compensation, and sure opposition, if they’re to endure the punishment from coaching camp by struggle night time.
They simply have to grasp the repercussions of these choices, how that impacts their relationships with their present promoters and networks, potential companions down the road, and followers usually.
Lopez is way from the primary to battle along with his promoter and take a stand over what he feels he deserves. Floyd Mayweather Jnr famously purchased out his contract with Prime Rank and have become a far larger celebrity because of this. Andre Ward was sidelined amid a dispute with promoter Dan Goossen and finally wound up with Roc Nation.
It’s simpler, in fact, when you could have different suitors awaiting. You shouldn’t burn bridges if that’s going to depart you stranded on an island. Shakur Stevenson served out the rest of his take care of Prime Rank, thought he deserved greater than the corporate was providing to re-sign, and shortly discovered a prepared purchaser with Matchroom.
Will Lopez have related success? He’s a two-division champion. He’s proven loads of expertise, although he’s been inconsistent with that. He’s additionally brought on loads of issues, and persistently so. Lopez believes that he’s price thousands and thousands. His activity will probably be not simply convincing one other promoter and community that he’s price these thousands and thousands, however that he’s additionally definitely worth the hassle. Or that there gained’t be any extra hassle.
It’s onerous to imagine that there wouldn’t be. As a result of Lopez has a longstanding behavior of sabotaging himself. He needs issues his manner – however he can’t get out of his personal manner.
