Two-weight world champion Teofimo Lopez vacated his WBO super lightweight title in a move that solidified his previous retirement announcement.
Lopez faced doubts over his intentions when stating he would walk away from the sport at 25 after beating Josh Taylor.
However, Lopez’s reasoning isn’t valid, according to his recent discussions on the matter. Teo believes he became undisputed in two weight classes by out-scoring the Scot at Madison Square Garden.
Previously, Lopez had defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko to unify the lightweight division. On the night, the WBC’ Franchise” belt was on the line, confusing many with its meaning.
After overcoming Lomachenko in ‘The Bubble” during the pandemic, Lopez held aloft all four belts, and many, including WBN, thought he was undisputed.
That was until the World Boxing Council put out a statement revealing that Devin Haney was, in fact, the only recognized WBC champion.
Without this WBC clarification, the consensus was that Teofimo Lopez was the rightful undisputed lightweight king.
Was Teofimo Lopez undisputed?
In addition to 135, Lopez now sees himself as undisputed at 140 following the Taylor win. His logic for this is that he beat the undisputed ruler who never lost his belts, only vacated them.
But the fact Lopez beat Taylor without the belts is not the only downside. The bone of contention comes from the fact Taylor lost to Jack Catterall. Therefore, Taylor was never the rightful undisputed champion when Lopez fought him.
So, in a nutshell, Lopez could have been a two-weight undisputed world champion and got out at 25. But in the eyes of the sport itself, he’s never been either.
Teofimo Lopez vacates WBO super lightweight title
This makes Thursday’s developments all the more dumbfounding as nobody really sees Lopez as never fighting again.
Nonetheless, he said: “Thank you, everyone, for making the greatest moments in my career a great one!
“Thank you, Top Rank and ESPN, for making The Takeover” into a real thing! I am forever grateful to all the sanctioning bodies in boxing for showing me I can and am more than boxing!
“What a career!”
Before Lopez made that remark, WBO President Paco Valcarcel had confirmed the news.
“Just now, Teofimo Lopez is texting me that he relinquished his [super lightweight] title. We should respect his decision.
“If he comes back, the WBO doors will always be open for him.”
Lopez then gave a small insight into why he’s disillusioned with the sport. It comes after Terence Crawford stated he would become the first two-weight undisputed champion of the modern era.
Errol Spence Jr’s trainer Derrick James had corrected Crawford at the second leg of their press tour.
“Don’t be that kind of groupie,” Teo told a media person. “How can someone call themselves real when expressing false information?
“Derrick James is correct! I am the first male to do it. Errol Spence Jr, this is why I am content with retiring from this new era of mediocre boxing.”
Will we see Teofimo Lopez back in the ring again? – Of course, we will, Is he a two-weight undisputed champion? – Of course not.
Follow experienced boxing writer Phil Jay on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
