Teofimo Lopez Insists He Got A Contract From Team Garcia
This February 8, WBO junior welterweight champion Teofimo “The Takeover” Lopez (19-1, 13 KO’s) will face talented challenger Jamaine Ortiz. Prior to signing with the #10 (WBO) ranked fighter, Lopez put it out that he had turned down a lowball offer from a major competitor. According to The Takeover, someone who represented popular 140-pound pugilist “King Ry” Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KO’s) presented a proposed contract that was too pitiful to be taken seriously.
Later, Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya, who represents Garcia, clarified that no one from their camp reached out to Lopez or his representatives. Nevertheless, in a recent interview with Fight Hub TV, The Takeover once again stated that someone approached him with the offer.
“Oscar De La Hoya is the chairman of his own industry of boxing, Bob Arum is his own chairman of his industry of boxing and then comes Teo who is building his own industry in boxing. So all the chairmen already established it, we already passed it. They building on, they are moving on to the next thing for their fighters. Bob is moving on with me to something different and so is Oscar De La Hoya with Ryan Garcia.”
“So now I can say what I think I have to say about the percentage part of it . . . despite being #1 in the weight division, despite having Madison Square Garden, The Sphere, reserved for Teofimo to have that fight with Ryan Garcia, to have all these accolades and all these buildings to come in and invest on us, the gave me a low, short stump . . . so whoever made up with that number, you’re a hater!”
WHY THE SECRETS?!
While this may sound like a very plausible explanation on the surface, it really only gives birth to more questions. Here, Lopez is giving more details to a contract and negotiations that Golden Boy maintains they never sent or engaged in. So what paperwork is Lopez talking about? Who was he dealing with? Even more frustrating, when directly asked who he was dealing with, Teofimo Lopez provided the nonsensical response of:
“I know nothing, John Snow, I know nothing. I know nothing, John Snow, I just move forward.”
Provided that all his dealings were on the level, it’s quite strange that Lopez is guarding this alleged agent of Golden Boy like they’re an FBI informant. Providing a name, or documentation, would go a long way to clear up who is telling the truth because both sides can’t be.
Yet, considering The Takeover is hinting at receipts he’s refusing to show, this is not the best look. Regardless of this Team Garcia melodrama, it would behoove Lopez to keep his mind on the very capable Jamaine Ortiz and his February dance date. A loss or misstep there could cost Lopez dearly.
