Devin Haney furious at Teofimo Lopez as he blames him for their August 16 catchweight fight falling through!
Boxing fans love a good rivalry, especially when it involves two young stars with serious beef. Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez have been circling each other for years now. Both fighters climbed to the top of the lightweight division around the same time. They have traded verbal jabs on social media and in interviews.
The drama between these fighters goes way back to their amateur days. Lopez made his mark by shocking Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020 to become undisputed lightweight champion. Haney answered back by collecting his own undisputed crown at 135 pounds. The stage seemed perfectly set for their long-awaited showdown. Unfortunately, boxing politics and contract disputes have a way of ruining the best-laid plans.
The fight everyone wanted to see was supposed to happen on August 16th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi boxing scene has been throwing serious money around lately. This matchup between Haney and Lopez would have been perfect for their growing boxing empire. The bout was planned as a 145-pound catchweight fight, splitting the difference between weight classes.
Both fighters looked ready after their impressive wins in May. Haney dominated Jose Ramirez in a one-sided decision. Lopez defended his junior welterweight title by outclassing Arnold Barboza Jr. The timing felt right, and fans were getting excited. Then reality hit hard when contract negotiations fell apart.
Haney didn’t hold back his frustration when the deal collapsed. He claimed he did his part and signed his portion of the contract. According to him, Lopez’s team kept everyone waiting for days before pulling the plug. Haney didn’t just criticize Lopez for backing out of the fight. He went nuclear and suggested that no promoter should work with Lopez anymore.
“I’m still willing to make the biggest and best fights. I’m looking forward to working with His Excellency, Riyadh Season and The Ring on the best possible opponent. Teo is a f****ng duck. No promoter should work with Teo because he wasted everybody’s time.”
Lopez’s team chose to stay quiet instead of firing back. Maybe they are trying to take the high road, or perhaps they’re working on their own statement. Either way, their lack of response has left Haney’s accusations hanging in the air. Devin Haney said he is still ready to make big fights and work with Saudi Arabia’s boxing events. He’s looking for the best possible opponent to fill Lopez’s spot. Meanwhile, Lopez will probably face questions about ducking Haney until he proves otherwise in the ring!
(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)
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