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Promoter Bob Arum revealed that the Saudis want to offer Teofimo López a three-fight contract, which he likes. Arum says it’s up to Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) to give his “approval.”
They reportedly want Teofimo to fight good opponents, which will be risky because he has looked vulnerable in many of his fights over the past four years. He recently turned down a fight against Subriel Matias, and Devin Haney said there was an offer that Teo turned down.
López did not want to face George Kambosos Jr. again after he beat him in 2021. This strange and counterproductive behavior has prevented Teofimo from becoming more popular. Of course, accepting those fights would have worked against Lopez, as he would have lost them all and 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. It will be on the scrap heap, and the promoter who wants to go Dumpster diving for Teo. He would be like another type of Rolly Romero fighter who is good at promoting his fights but unreliable inside the ring.
Three fight deal
“The Saudis have come to us and talked about reaching a three-fight deal with Teofimo, which we like a lot. “Now the ball is in Teófimo’s court to get his approval,” Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told fight About Teofimo López.
“The Saudis have stepped forward and, as far as Top Rank is concerned, we are satisfied with the offer and the agreement. Now it’s Teófimo’s turn. I’ll be back in Las Vegas on Saturday and checking in with Teofimo and his people to see where we go from there.
“We are talking to the Saudis (about Teofimo fighting IBF light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins). We have had a good relationship with Teo, but there comes a time when they are looking to fly a little alone. That’s not unusual. It happens, but I think Teofimo will like the package that the Saudis have presented and we will move forward with it on that basis,” Arum said.
Teofimo’s career could be in tatters after his three-fight contract with the Saudis ends in early 2026, as there is no fight he has a good chance of winning among the three. If these are the three fights that Turki Al-Sheikh has for López, it is not likely that they will give him a new contact:
- Richardson Hitchins – summer
- Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis – October
- Winner or loser of Ryan García vs. Devin Haney 2 – February 2026
The García-Haney 2 loser is the most winnable of those three for Teo. Over the past four years, we’ve seen how Lopez looked in his fights against Steve Claggett, Jamaine Ortiz, Sandor Martin, and George Kambosos Jr. He’s not talented enough to outlast Hitchins or Boots without losing at least one, if not two. .
The aftermath
The Saudis are not going to throw megamillions at Teófimo when he leaves 0-3 in his 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 were willing to sign Smith, they would take an interest in Teo and invest in a rebuilding job like they did with Anthony Joshua. It didn’t work on him, and it won’t work on Lopez if he’s coming off a three-fight losing streak. It’s not just those three fights.
Teofimo has been fighting steadily since his loss to Kambosos Jr. in 2021. The judges saved him and rescued him. Jaime Ortiz and Sandor Martin. Top Rank has helped Teo by not throwing him to the wolves by pitting him against guys who would finish what Kambosos started.
