Teofimo Lopez Announces Comeback

After retiring last month, lineal and WBO junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez is returning to the ring.

On June 10, Lopez defeated Josh Taylor to claim both titles. Two days later, the 25-year-old announced his retirement. Lopez had been in a contract dispute with ESPN and Top Rank boxing promotion at the time.

“I’ve made ESPN over $100 million and I’m still getting paid $1 million a fight while all these other fighters that have not even done a quarter of what I’ve done and I’ve accomplished in the sport, they’re getting eight, $10, $12, $15 million,” Lopez said on The Porter Way podcast after the Taylor fight. “So obviously, I’m the black sheep of the industry and they’re really hurting me on that end.”

After learning that the WBO was going to give current lightweight king Devin Haney—who expressed a desire to jump to junior lightweight after his controversial May 20 win against Vasily Lomachenko—the opportunity to battle for the vacant belt if Lopez followed through with his retirement plans, Lopez took to Twitter to announce his return. 

Haney simply responded with a tweet: “Let’s do it.” He also tweeted a claim that Lopez’s camp reached out asking for a $20 million purse in the potential fight, which Lopez denied.

However, Lopez may have to wait. Haney was arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday and charged with carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle before being released on $35,000 bail, according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger. Haney is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 3. 

"It's a misunderstanding that will be solved when Devin goes to court," Haney's father, trainer and manager, Bill Haney, told ESPN. "It's unfortunate that he was arrested with his armed licensed security, and I'm confident things are going to be worked out." 

Currently, Haney has three fighters pursuing bouts with him. Lomachenko, who believes he won the first fight against Haney (many observers share that belief), wants a rematch for the lightweight titles. Haney and his camp also had interest in a fight with WBC junior welterweight champion Regis Prograis, who tweeted at Lopez to get in line.

The only fighter that Haney owes a fight to, though, is Shakur Stevenson. Stevenson, a former undefeated featherweight and super featherweight champion, sent a champagne bottle to Haney with a “Sign The Contract” message attached to it at a June party. On July 4, Stevenson said on Twitter that he declined a fight offer that would give Haney a 75/25 split of fight revenue. Six days later, Stevenson contacted the WBC to force a title fight with Haney, demanding an even 50% split.

"Consistent with WBC Rule 3.7, Shakur Stevenson has been designated the mandatory challenger for Lightweight Champion Devin Haney," wrote Stevenson's co-managers Josh Dubin and James Prince to the WBC in the letter. 

"While we have tried for the last several weeks to negotiate a bout with Mr. Haney on Mr. Stevenson's behalf, we have not made much progress. Therefore, we respectfully ask that the WBC officially order the bout pursuant to Rule 2.8 so that the 'Free Negotiations Period' can begin. I am confident that once the 30-day negotiation deadline is set, we will make more headway. In the event we cannot reach an agreement, Mr. Stevenson intends to enforce his mandatory position through the purse bid process."

In the welterweight division, WBO champion Terence “Bud” Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. will fight on July 29 to unify all four belts in the division. Spence, who is guaranteeing a victory, wrote on his Instagram that he plans to move up to junior middleweight after the fight.

However, there is a rematch clause in the fight’s contract. While Spence is contractually obligated to give Crawford a rematch if Crawford pursues it—assuming Spence wins the fight—IBF interim welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis is presumed to be next in line for whomever comes out on top. Ennis is the only other fighter in the division to shine during the Crawford-Spence era.