Bob Arum says his fighter, WBO mild welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez, “acts like he’s obtained a screw free” with him believing that his contract with High Rank is invalid. Promoter Arum states that the two-division world champion Teofimo (21-1, 13 KOs) signed an extension for his battle towards Sandor Martin in 2022.
In an interview with Dan Rafael on X, Arum stated Teofimo continues to be below contract with High Rank and is “there in Black and white.”
Teofimo talks eagerly about desirous to battle Terence Crawford, who has proven no real interest in combating him. If Teo does get his launch from High Rank, some imagine that he’ll signal with Matchroom and battle on DAZN. T
The best way that Teofimo has appeared lately, he’s on the decline in his eight-year profession and is simply nonetheless successful, due to the cautious matchmaking being achieved on his behalf by High Rank. The Brooklyn, New York native Teofimo hasn’t appeared like the identical fighter he as soon as was since his grueling battle towards Vasily Lomachenko on October 17, 2020.
Though Teofimo received that battle by a slim 12-round majority draw, he took many heavy photographs from Lomachenko and hasn’t been the identical since. Furthermore, Teofimo’s conduct outdoors of the ring has been erratic, with him saying weird issues to the media that make a few of them query whether or not he’s nonetheless all there mentally.
Teofimo has fought 3 times since, beating Josh Taylor, Jamaine Ortiz, and Steve Claggett. He’s not been spectacular in his final two fights, and he was very poor towards Martin. Numerous boxing followers felt that Teofimo was given controversial selections in his fights towards Martin and Ortiz. These had been very questionable selections that went to Teofimo.
He appeared like a traditional instance of a shot fighter in his final battle, laboring to a 12-round unanimous determination over the 35-year-old veteran Steve Claggett on June twenty ninth. This was purported to be a showcase battle for Teofimo to appear to be gold, however he was horrible all through, getting labored over towards the ropes in lots of the rounds. On the finish of the battle, Teofimo’s face was marked up and badly swollen over each eyes. Bodily, Teofimo appeared just like the loser.
“Teofimo generally acts like he has a screw free. I like the child, however I can’t determine him out, and he makes no logical sense,” stated Arum to Dan Rafael. “He signed an extension with us first with the Jose Pedraza battle that didn’t occur, after which after we did one other battle with Sandor Martin, he signed the identical extension. So it’s there in black and white. I assume he confirmed the lawyer the primary contract and never the second. Coping with Teofimo is like coping with Alice in Wonderland.”
Followers imagine that Arum needs to maintain Teofimo and set him up with a cash-out deal, matching him towards Ryan Garcia or Devin Haney to usher in some income earlier than his contract ends. Whether or not both of these fights will occur is unknown. One other one in all Arum’s fighters, Keyshawn Davis, has been pushing for a battle towards Teofimo, however Teo has proven no curiosity. He needs a revenue-generating battle. That may be Ryan or Haney.
Gervonta Davis hasn’t proven any need to maneuver as much as 140 to battle Teofimo, and it’s bodily unattainable for Teo to soften again all the way down to 135. He was placing his physique by way of the wringer to make light-weight over the last yr that he was combating in that weight class in 2021, and he can’t return to that division now.
In Teofimo’s remaining battle at light-weight, he misplaced to George Kambosos Jr. by a 12-round break up determination. That battle confirmed that Teofimo had stayed at 135 too lengthy. Nonetheless, that defeat could have been a product of the punishment that Teo took within the Lomachenko battle, as a result of he took many photographs from the previous three-division world champion.
