Teofimo Lopez's return to the ring has hit a snag. The WBO super-lightweight champion turned down Top Rank's final offer for a title fight against Subriel Matias. The bout was set to headline an ESPN PPV event on March 15th in Las Vegas.
Lopez last fought in June, when he kept his WBO super-lightweight title with a unanimous decision win over Steve Claggett. The performance didn't wow fans, who hoped to see Lopez take on top-tier opponents in the 140lb division.
Matias, the former IBF super-lightweight champion, was lined up as that elite opponent. The Puerto Rican boxer boasts an impressive record of 21 wins and 2 losses, with all his victories coming by knockout. Matias lost his IBF belt to Liam Paro last June but bounced back with a second-round knockout of Roberto Ramirez in November.
Keith Idec reported on the breakdown of negotiations, stating:
"Teofimo Lopez turned down Top Rank's final offer, 'way above his contract minimum' according to what I was told, before a deadline late last night for a WBO 140-pound title fight vs. Subriel Matias. Lopez & Matias would've fought in an ESPN PPV main event March 15th in Las Vegas."
Lopez quickly responded on his social media, claiming:
"PSA: I haven't rejected the fight, they rejected my counter offer!"
He followed up with another post:
"I am flattered and honored that you all would love to see me fight right now. However, I've got unfinished business with TopRank Inc. I will be fighting this year, which is guaranteed by the powers that be! 3 6 9 Soon, you will see why I did what I did!"
The champion has been vocal about his issues with Top Rank on social media lately. He's even asked about buying out his contract to fight elsewhere.
While Lopez's next move remains uncertain, he claims he'll fight this year. He's also mentioned one condition for facing Ryan Garcia, though details on that remain unclear.
Boxing fans will have to wait and see how this situation unfolds. For now, the March 15th date in Las Vegas looks to be off the table for Lopez.
