The renowned boxer and current WBO junior welterweight champion, Teofimo Lopez, has sparked controversy in his relationship with Top Rank, the promotional company that has managed his career. According to sources close to ESPN, the fighter sent a legal letter to the promoter on Thursday, claiming that his promotional agreement is invalid and that he should be considered a free agent.
Lopez, 27, with a record of 21 wins and 13 knockouts, signed a contract extension with Top Rank before his bout against Sandor Martin in December 2022. This fight, which ended in Lopez’s victory, has become the center of the contractual dispute. According to sources, the contract indicated that the extension would only be effective if Lopez defeated José Pedraza. However, Pedraza was replaced by Martin due to an injury, leading Lopez’s team to question the validity of the extension.
Top Rank, for its part, has maintained that the amendment is valid despite the last-minute opponent change. Sources close to the promoter claim that Lopez accepted in writing that the modification was still in effect. Amid the controversy, Top Rank has declined to make an official comment on the matter, while Lopez has not responded to the media.
However, Top Rank also argues that the promotional agreement with Lopez includes multiple additional fights. According to the same sources, there are several extensions activated independently of the mentioned amendment. One of these stipulations states that if Lopez won another title, his contract would be automatically extended, which happened after his victory over Josh Taylor in June 2023.
Teofimo Lopez’s position and his retirement
After his win against Taylor, Lopez surprised the boxing community by announcing his temporary retirement, a decision that, according to his legal team, should nullify any contractual extension. However, his retirement has not been officially recognized by Top Rank, which continues to add time to the contract due to the fighter’s inactivity.
Lopez had been scheduled to face former champion José Ramírez in December 2023 in New York. However, to date, no fight has been confirmed. Top Rank views Lopez’s inactivity as another factor that could prolong the length of his contract, in addition to the title victory and the temporary retirement.
The influential president of Top Rank, Bob Arum, has expressed his frustration with Lopez on several occasions.
In a recent statement, Bob Arum said: “Teofimo sometimes acts like he has a screw loose. I like the kid, but I can’t figure him out, and he makes no logical sense.” Arum claimed that the boxer signed a contract extension both before and after the fight against Martin. According to Bob Arum, Lopez might be showing his legal team the wrong contract, causing unnecessary confusion.
“Dealing with Teofimo is like dealing with Alice in Wonderland,” Bob Arum added, referring to the unpredictable behavior of the boxer in recent months. Despite the tensions, both parties are working to resolve the legal conflict, although no agreement or dates have been confirmed for Lopez’s return to the ring.
Teofimo Lopez, who rose to fame after defeating the legendary Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020, has been a prominent figure in the lightweight division and, more recently, in the junior welterweight category.
However, the future of his career remains uncertain, as his contractual situation with Top Rank has not yet been resolved. Although he was offered a fight on September 27 in New York, Lopez declined the date, further adding time to his contract with the promoter.
Bob Arum on Teofimo Lopez claiming his contract with Top Rank is invalid: “Teofimo sometimes acts like he has a screw loose. I like the kid but I can’t figure him out and he makes no logical sense. He signed an extension with us first with the Jose Pedraza fight that didn’t…
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) October 21, 2024
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