Teofimo Lopez has seemingly scuppered future paydays in Saudi Arabia thanks to a social media surge.
The WBO super lightweight champion claims he has been “fired” by Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, weeks after making his Riyadh Season debut against Arnold Barboza Jr in Times Square.
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According to esteemed boxing journalist Dan Rafael, the two-weight world champion had reached an agreement to box Devin Haney on August 16 in Riyadh at a 145lbs catchweight.
However, that fight is now in jeopardy after Lopez directed a series of disparaging tweets at Alalshikh, including a now-deleted one where he labelled the boxing mogul ‘the d***tator’.
Alalshikh didn’t respond to Lopez directly, but he did take to social media to cryptically write: “Maturity is to realise, most things don’t deserve a reaction.”
Shortly after, Lopez posted: “I just got fired, guys.
“However, before things get better, bad things must happen first! #Resurrection.”
Lopez followed up by posting a picture of himself begging in the streets, with the caption: “Looking for a new job.
“#Hireme My son Teofimo Liam needs new goggles and a new spearfish gun.”
Before entering into negotiations with Haney, Lopez had been chasing a fight with IBF and WBA welterweight champion Jaron Ennis.
However, Ennis looks set to move up to super welterweight, essentially ending hopes of a clash with Lopez, barring a last-minute change of heart.
“No Boots fight. They said no,” said Lopez in a video uploaded to his Instagram.
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“Boots, if you’re on here and your father is on here, Bozy, listen to me. You are bozos.
“How do you claim yourself from Philly, and you don’t want to fight the best?
“You’re all putting Philly down, and Philly just won. Shout out to the Eagles.
“Come on, bro, I don’t think you are from Philly.”
With fights against Ennis and Haney seemingly off the table, Lopez’s future remains unclear.
‘The Takeover’ had a sea of opportunities in front of him after a punch-perfect win over Barboza Jr earlier this month.
But those doors appear to have slammed shut, at least for now.
