Promoter Bob Arum revealed that the Saudis want to offer Teofimo Lopez a three-fight deal, which he likes. Arum says it’s up to Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) for him to give his “approval.”
They reportedly want Teofimo to fight good opposition, which will be risky because he’s looked vulnerable in many of his fights in the last four years. He turned down a fight against Subriel Matias recently, and Devin Haney said there was an offer that Teo turned down.
Lopez didn’t want to rematch George Kambosos Jr. after he beat him in 2021. This weird, self-defeating behavior has prevented Teofimo from becoming more popular. Of course, taking those fights would have worked against Lopez, as he would have lost all of them, and he would be even worse off now.
The Saudis want Teofimo right now while he’s still semi-popular, but if he loses all three fights for them, he’ll be in the ‘who needs him club.’ He’ll be on the scrap heap, and whichever promoter wants to go dumpster diving for Teo. He would be like another Rolly Romero type of fighter who is good at promoting his fights but unreliable inside the ring.
Three-Fight Deal
“The Saudis have come to us, and they’ve talked about making a three-fight deal with Teofimo, which we like very much. Now the ball is in Teofimo’s court to get his approval,” said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to Fighthype about Teofimo Lopez.
“The Saudis have stepped up to the plate, and as far as Top Rank is concerned, we’re pleased with the offer and the arrangement. Now, it’s up to Teofimo. I’ll be back in Vegas on Saturday, and I’ll be contacting Teofimo and his people to see where it goes from there.
“We’re talking to the Saudis [about Teofimo fighting IBF light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins]. We’ve had a good relationship with Teo, but it comes a time where they’re looking to fly a little bit on their own. That’s not unusual. It happens, but I think Teofimo will like the package the Saudis have presented, and we’ll go forward with him on that basis,” said Arum.
Teofimo’s career could be in the dumps after his three-fight deal with the Saudis ends in early 2026, as there isn’t one fight that he has a good shot at winning among the three. If these are the three fights Turki Al-Sheikh has for Lopez, he’s not likely to be given a new contact:
- Richardson Hitchins – summer
- Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis – October
- Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney 2 winner or loser – February 2026
The Garcia-Haney 2 loser is the most winnable of those three for Teo. In the last four years, we have seen what Lopez has looked like in his fights against Steve Claggett, Jamaine Ortiz, Sandor Martin, and George Kambosos Jr. He’s not talented enough to get through Hitchins or Boots without losing at least one if not two.
The Aftermath
The Saudis aren’t going to throw mega-millions at Teofimo after he goes 0-3 in their current contract. I could see Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom signing Lopez after his contact with Turki and Top Rank expires. They just signed 36-year-old Liam Smith, who hasn’t fought in two years since 2023 and is coming off a knockout loss to Chris Eubank Jr.
If Matchroom was willing to sign Smith, they’ll be all over Teo, and will invest in a rebuild job like they did with Anthony Joshua. Didn’t work with him, and it won’t be effective with Lopez if he’s coming off a three-fight losing streak. It’s not just those three fights.
Teofimo has been struggling consistently since his loss to Kambosos Jr. in 2021. He’s been saved by the judges bailing him out against Jamaine Ortiz and Sandor Martin. Top Rank has helped Teo by not throwing him to the wolves by matching him against guys that would finish what Kambosos started.
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