Teofimo Lopez is struggling to find opponents. The charismatic American puncher, current WBO super lightweight world champion, hasn’t been involved in a major fight since June 2023, when he defied the odds and handed Scotland’s Josh Taylor the first defeat of his career.
Since then, Lopez has defended his title in two less-than-impressive bouts: a hard-fought and controversial points win over the elusive Jamaine Ortiz and another points victory over the tough Canadian Steve Claggett. These performances have raised doubts among experts about Lopez’s true dominance among the champions of the 140-pound division.
To silence the skeptics, Lopez seems determined to face a big-name opponent to restore his standing. However, according to Lopez himself, the offers from his team haven’t generated interest among the athletes they were sent to. The fighter voiced his frustration on social media with the following statement:
“We sent reasonable offers to fight to both Team Haney and Team Kambosos. Both have declined!“
When a user asked what the “reasonable offers” entailed, Lopez responded that the proposal included a guaranteed purse of $2.4 million and a 55/45 revenue split from Pay-Per-View sales.
A showdown between Lopez and Haney would be a first-time clash between two fighters with vastly different styles, a matchup that would undoubtedly capture the audience’s attention. Meanwhile, a bout with Kambosos would be a rematch of their incredible 2021 battle at Madison Square Garden, where Kambosos narrowly won by decision after a brutal and thrilling contest.
Clearly, the two fighters are currently pursuing different paths. It remains to be seen what Teofimo Lopez will decide to do to stay at the top and reinforce his claim of being the best super lightweight in the world.