Teofimo Lopez recently declared that Ryan Garcia, who seems “desperate for a payday,” contacted him via direct message following his triumphant fight against WBO light welterweight champion Josh Taylor. The message, Lopez alleges, was an attempt by Garcia to arrange a bout between them. Lopez, however, asserts he promptly deleted Garcia’s message, showing no interest in the proposition.
Lopez’s decision might be regrettable in the future when he sees the potential financial benefit he’s currently ignoring. Lopez stated that he’s unwilling to risk being the less compensated participant in a fight, particularly considering Garcia’s enormous social media following. With over 11 million Instagram followers, Garcia would likely pull in the majority of the pay-per-view sales if he were to clash with Lopez.
While Lopez enjoys popularity in New York City, he lacks the national fame of Gervonta Davis and the significant social media presence of Ryan Garcia. According to Lopez, Garcia’s popularity among younger audiences and YouTubers generates considerable pay-per-view sales, a demographic Lopez seems to miss out on.
Lopez revealed the contents of Garcia’s message in an interview with Fighthype, where Garcia stated they could “make some good money” and make the fight happen. He further shed light on his current contract with Top Rank, indicating that he has around six to eight months left.
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