Promoter Bob Arum has revealed that the Saudis want to offer Teofimo Lopez a three-way deal, which he likes. Arum says it's up to Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) to give his “okay.”
They reportedly want Teofimo to fight good opposition, which would be risky as he has looked weak in many of his fights in the past four years. He recently turned down a fight against Subriel Matias, and Devin Haney said there was an offer Teo turned down.
Lopez did not want to rematch Jorge Kambosos Jr. after he beat him in 2021. This self-defeating antics have prevented Teofimo from becoming more popular. Of course, having those fights would have worked against Lopez, because he would have lost them all, and would be worse off now.
The Saudis want Teofimo now while he is still semi-popular, but if he loses all three fights to them, he will be in the 'who needs him club'. He'll be on the scrap heap, and whoever the promoter wants is gone Dumpster diving for Teo. He would be like another Rolly Romero type of fighter who is good at promoting his fights but can't be relied upon in the ring.
Triple fight deal
“The Saudis came to us and talked about doing a three-way deal with Teofimo, which we like very much. The ball is now in Teofimo's court to get his approval,” said Bob Arum, top-tier promoter. Fighthype About Teofimo Lopez.
“The Saudis have stepped up to the plate and as far as Top Rank is concerned, we are happy with the show and the standings. Now it's up to Teofimo. I'll be back in Vegas on Saturday and I'll be calling Teofimo and his staff to see where things go from there.
“We're talking with the Saudis (about Teofimo's fight with IBF light welterweight champion Richardson Hitchens). We've had a good relationship with Teo, but there comes a time when they're looking to fly a little bit on their own. That's not unusual,” Arum said. “It happens, but I think Teofimo will like the package that the Saudis have presented, and we will move forward with him on that basis.”
Teofimo's career could be on the decline after his triple contract with the Saudis expires in early 2026, as there is not a single fight he has a good chance of winning out of the three. If these are the three fights that Turki Al Sheikh fights for Lopez, it is unlikely that he will get a new call:
- Richardson Hitchens – Summer
- Jaron “Boots” Ennis – October
- Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney 2 Win or Lose – February 2026
Loser Garcia-Haney 2 is the most winnable of these three for Teo. In the last four years, we've seen what Lopez looked like in his fights against Steve Claggett, Jamin Ortiz, Sandor Martin, and Jorge Kambosos Jr. He's not talented enough to beat Hitchens or Potts without losing at least one if not two. .
Consequences
The Saudis will not spend huge millions on Teofimo after his departure 0-3 In their current contract. I could see Eddie Hearn's Matchroom signing Lopez after his call with Turk and Top Rank ended. 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 are willing to sign Smith, they will be all over Teo, investing in the rebuild as they did with Anthony Joshua. It didn't work for him, and it won't work for Lopez if he's coming off a three-fight losing streak. It's not just those three fights.
Teofimo has been constantly struggling since his loss to Kambosos Jr. in 2021. The judges bailed him against Jamin Ortiz and Sandor Martin. Top Rank helped Teo by not throwing him to the wolves by pitting him against guys that would finish what Kambosos started.
