Undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo ‘The Takeover’ Lopez 16-0 (12) has threatened to buyout his contract with Top Rank after the Las Vegas-based promoter failed to win the purse bid for his IBF mandatory title defence against Australian George ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos Jr 19-0 (10).
Video production and social networking company Triller – who promoted the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones exhibition in November, a show that did around 1.9 million pay-per-view buys – lodged a winning bid of $6,018,000, trumping nearest rival Matchroom Boxing by more than $2,500,000. Top Rank had the lowest bid at $2,315,000.
“I feel hurt,” Lopez said to The Ring. “I was in shock when Triller won the bid. I wanted to see what the open market was and I thought Top Rank was going to fight for me. It was shocking Triller won, but it was also good because I’m getting paid more.
“I bet on myself and I won.
“You know I love ESPN and I love Top Rank, for all that they have done for me and my career and my team. David McWater, my manager (and BWAA 2020 Manager of the Year), has been on this purse bid than I had. It was for a good reason.
“Things have been different since the Loma fight, and shockingly for the negative. All I’ve been trying to do is to make the best things possible. It’s a respect thing. Respect for me is big. I’m very big on respect and morals. Top Rank has been this for so many years. I expected different treatment from them.”
The 23-year-old Lopez is coming off an upset 12-round unanimous decision win over Vasiliy Lomachenko in October in what was a surprise rating hit for ESPN, drawing a peak audience of almost three million viewers. It was ESPN’s highest numbers for a boxing show in over three years.
“It was like the Lomachenko fight all over again, being treated like the B-side of the fight, and that they didn’t think I was going to win,” Lopez said. “You would think, winning on ESPN the way I did, you would expect different treatment. It does hurt.
“I’m only 23 and these people tried to take me out. This is good. It wakes everybody up. You fight what you’re supposed to fight for. I’m the fighter who gets in the ring and risks his life. I haven’t spoken to (Top Rank CEO) Bob Arum or anyone from Top Rank. They have my number. If they think that after this fight, I would come back to them, after offering what they did, I might as well buy my contract out with them.
“It’s reached that level. I thought, what could I do? You start to think that you did something wrong. Top Rank didn’t have to do this. I’m one of their best fighters on their roster. I should have been treated better. I just beat the best fighter in the world, and this is how I get treated?
“It’s crazy. I have no idea what’s going through anyone’s head at Top Rank. I was hoping my fight was going to be on ESPN. Top Rank came in last for the purse bid, which tells me that they really didn’t care for me. I’ve been letting David deal with all of the business side of things.
“Now, David is worried about his clients that he also manages under Top Rank, because now there seems to be this grudge. I’m very grateful for Triller, and valuing me more than I imagined. George is a good fighter and we’re going to put on a good fight.
“Top Rank is family. I am richer because of Triller winning the purse bid. I am looking forward to this fight. I think it’s going to help make my stock rise even more.”
Lopez insists he isn’t bitter and says it is simply a case of putting business first.
“My message to Top Rank is that I’m hurt by the message I received by the purse bid, and all I’m trying to do is get my worth for the achievements that I have,” Lopez said.
“This is nothing personal. It’s business. I know my worth and for as much as fighters need the promoters, the promoters the fighters.”
