Teofimo Lopez, despite being retired, continues to grab media attention. The 25-year-old made an appearance at the Errol Spence-Terence Crawford press conference in New York and was surrounded by reporters afterwards.
Following his impressive performance against Josh Taylor on Saturday, Lopez announced his decision to leave the sport. Although he left the ring with belts around his waist, he clarified during a media section at the Madison Square Garden Theatre that he was indeed retiring.
The superstar from Brooklyn now plans to promote and train fighters, working alongside his father Teofimo Sr., and also has aspirations to work as a commentator in the future. However, everyone has their price. During a media scrum captured by FightHub TV, Lopez was asked what it would take for him to reconsider his retirement.
“I’m looking at a three-to-five-year contract, and you can put a large sum of money on it,” he replied.
He further elaborated, saying, “The only way I will come back is if I’m offered a substantial amount of money because that could be used to support my family. So, even if something were to happen to me, I would be content knowing that my work would provide for future generations. It’s about generational wealth. I won’t return for a mere 10 million dollars, as that is too little. After taxes, expenses, and the cost of the belt sanctioning fees, you would only take home two million. I need security, not just for myself, but for my loved ones.”
Lopez admitted that even his loved ones don’t believe he is truly retired, but for now, that is the stance he is sticking to. The former number one lightweight fighter revealed that he still has “six to eight months left” on his current contract with Top Rank.
Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson, and Devin Haney are three enticing options that could potentially entice Lopez back into the ring. When asked about who would pose the toughest challenge for him, the new super-lightweight champion gave his opinion.
“Technically speaking, Shakur would be the toughest opponent. Gervonta Davis would bring power and some speed. Devin Haney is the last of the group, and I believe Shakur and Gervonta acknowledge that.”