The panorama of the welterweight division added new controversy after the resignation of Keyshawn Davis to compete for the world championship of the World Boxing Organization against Devin Haney.
Faced with this situation, Teófimo López openly expressed his opinion on the position of the American fighter, who declined a guaranteed million-dollar purse after the official auction carried out by the sanctioning entity.
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The former monarch's reaction came after Davis decided not to sign the contract for the mandatory fight, despite the fact that the bidding process had set record figures for his professional career.
For Teófimo López, the demand for higher financial amounts requires prior justification in the ring before rejecting high-profile commitments within rented boxing.
The background of the auction and the rejected figures
During the auction organized by the governing body, the company Top Rank secured the rights to the billboard with a proposal of 8.55 million dollars, surpassing the offer of 2.35 million dollars presented by Takeover Promotions, a firm linked to Teófimo López. According to the regulatory distribution of 75-25 for mandatory fights, the candidate was guaranteed an income close to 2.14 million dollars.
According to a report published by journalist Mike Coppinger in the specialized magazine The Ring, Davis's entourage had previously rejected a direct proposal of 3 million dollars by seeking a net purse of 5 million.
When consulted by the media at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Teófimo López questioned his colleague's claims, saying: "I'm not Keyshawn Davis. I'm not his legal team. Whatever valid reason they had, maybe because he wanted more money. But I think you have to show that you have earned that money."
The analysis of the impact on sports reputation
The decision to withdraw from the race once the public bidding process has concluded raises questions about the challenger's administrative planning. In a conversation with the specialized channel FightHype, Teófimo López delved into the effects that this type of resolutions have on the perception of the public and the governing bodies.
"That was strange. It seemed crazy to me. This doesn't leave him in a good place," Teófimo López argued before the cameras of the aforementioned media, adding about the complications of the negotiation process: "Maybe they have another agreement somewhere else. Maybe that's why. I think he was asking for too much money. But you have to prove it... Once the stock market auction comes, if you withdraw, it's a dirty play. Basically, you let whoever wants to bid keep the fight, so you're basically saying 'yes,' and “Then that happens.”
