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Mike Coppinger, ESPN Boxing Insider
Teofimo Lopez, in a legal letter sent to Top Rank on Thursday, contended his promotional agreement was invalid and that he should be a free agent, sources told ESPN.
The 27-year-old Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) signed a contract extension with Top Rank ahead of his December 2022 win over Sandor Martin. And that’s where the dispute lies.
The contract language stipulated the extension would kick in after he defeated Jose Pedraza, per sources. Instead, Lopez defeated Martin, who had replaced the injured Pedraza.
Top Rank responded the amendment was valid, regardless of the late change in opponent, and that Lopez agreed the amendment remained valid in a subsequent written document.
Top Rank declined to comment. Lopez, who is ESPN’s No. 10 pound-for-pound boxer, didn’t respond to a text message seeking comment.
Top Rank not only argued that its contract with Lopez is valid, but that there are multiple fights left on his deal due to several extensions that were triggered separate from the amendment, sources said.
The contract read that if Lopez won another title, there would be an extension. He did so when he upset Josh Taylor to become WBO junior welterweight champion in June 2023.
Lopez then claimed he was retired and didn’t entertain any fight offers for the rest of 2023. That’s more time that could be added onto his contract. The promotion was looking to match Lopez with former champion Jose Ramirez in December 2023 in New York.
Lopez returned with a decision victory over Jamaine Ortiz in February. Lopez then made a second successful defense with a win over Steve Claggett in June in Miami, a homecoming for the South Floridian.
Lopez was slated to fight a third time in 2024 and was offered a Sept. 27 fight in New York, but he elected not to fight on that date. That’s more time that could be added to the contract, along with the title victory and the brief retirement.
The sides are trying to iron out a resolution, sources said, but there’s no agreement yet and no fight scheduled for Lopez.
Lopez is a former undisputed lightweight champion whose career-best win came in 2020 against future Hall of Famer Vasiliy Lomachenko. He’s ESPN’s No. 1 boxer at 140 pounds.