Teofimo Lopez Announces Retirement
In a surprising turn of events, Teofimo Lopez, the 25-year-old boxing sensation, shocked the world by declaring his retirement just two days after achieving the remarkable feat of becoming the lineal champion in the super lightweight division.
“I have a lot of ideas,” Lopez said, according to Yahoo Sports. “I have a lot of things in mind for the sport of boxing. And I really can’t do that if I’m always in the gym training and preparing for another upcoming fight or bout.”
His outstanding performance in the ring saw him defeat Josh Taylor, a seasoned 32-year-old fighter, in a thrilling match at Madison Square Garden on June 10. The unanimous decision victory not only secured his triumph over Taylor but also earned him the highly coveted WBO lightweight title.
Lopez announced his retirement on Instagram before shedding light on his decision on ESPN’s “This Just In.”
“What a relief! Retired at the Top,” he wrote. “Thank you Boxing for the amazing life you’ve provided for myself and my entire loved ones.”
Lopez was also a guest on “The Porter Way Podcast” and shared his frustration about the money he was being paid.
“The only way you get Teofimo back is a nine-figure contract deal,” he said. “Because I’ve made ESPN over a hundred million dollars and I’m still getting paid a million dollars to fight.”
“While all these other fights who have not even a quarter of what I’ve done and accomplished are in the sport, they’re getting 8, 10, 12, 15 million dollars,” he added. “So obviously I’m the black sheep of the industry.”
