Alas, it had to end this way. But Teofimo Lopez has never been one to hold his tongue. Whether it’s fiery exchanges with Terence Crawford, trading words with Keyshawn Davis, or his recent digs at former training partner Canelo Alvarez, Lopez has built a reputation on speaking boldly, sometimes controversially. So it’s not exactly shocking that he’s now clashing with the influential His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. And while the spotlight seems firmly fixed on that feud, you’d be right to ask: What does Devin Haney have to do with all this? The answer? Quite a bit, actually.
Following last year’s performance, Haney was expected to face Ryan Garcia in a rematch this year. But the narrative took a turn when HE Alalshikh played a bit with the matchmaking, and Garcia ended up facing Rolando Romero instead, and lost. Whereas Haney, in the same Fatal Fury event, beat Jose Ramirez, with a bout that left fans underwhelmed. Even legendary broadcaster Jim Lampley couldn’t resist a jab, calling it “a fight capable of inducing a nap in Times Square.” So with Ryan Garcia faltering and Haney failing to impress, the once-anticipated rematch had lost much of its allure. Ultimately, fans were left wondering, What’s next?
Now, while Ryan Garcia takes time to recover from the right-hand surgery that he underwent recently, Devin Haney has wasted no time moving on. The 26-year-old was actively involved in talks for his next big bout. And the name floating around? None other than Teofimo Lopez. “This is actually crazy (per @danrafael1),” wrote @insideboxinglive on Instagram, reposting an update from veteran boxing journalist Dan Rafael. According to Rafael, “Per three sources involved, Teofimo Lopez-Devin Haney was agreed to Tuesday night, but not signed, for Aug. 16 in Riyadh at 145 pounds but fight is now in jeopardy after Teofimo’s tweet storm.”
Reports suggest that Teofimo Lopez was actually eyeing a marquee summer matchup with Haney on August 16th, despite speculation of a future clash with unified welterweight champion Jaron Ennis. But that momentum may now be stalling. Why? Because, according to Rafael, Lopez’s late-night post, most of it aimed at Saudi boxing powerbroker His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, has put the fight in jeopardy. With Lopez’s record standing at 22-1 and Haney unbeaten at 32-0, the stakes were high. But behind the scenes, tensions were clearly higher.
Devin Haney, for his part, hasn’t shied away from the drama. Just a few hours ago on X, he wrote: “I’ll handle him.. @Turki_alalshikh.” But it seems that the ship may have already sailed. Moreover, Devin Haney may now be forced to rethink his current plans, as Teofimo Lopez has already sparked retirement rumors following the failed deal.
In a now-deleted post on X, the WBO superlightweight champion vented his frustration at the loss of the two fights. “Jaron “Boots” Ennis has declined the fight against ‘i’ for his @WBABoxing @IBFUSBAboxing@ringmagazine championship titles at the Welterweight division, aka 147lbs. His Excellency @Turki_alalshikh is upset with this as @EddieHearn agreed to the fight for later this year!” Teofimo Lopez stated, adding, “With that being said, i am not sure if i will continue to be a professional boxer since everyone is together and holding hands like their life savings depends on it. WHAT A SHAME #MakeBoxing GreatAgain.”
So, what exactly caused the rift between Teofimo Lopez and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh that put his fight with Haney and Boots in jeopardy?
Teofimo Lopez too bold to be saved this time
Teofimo Lopez’s May 2, 2025, bout against Arnold Barboza Jr. marked his first collaboration with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season. The fight, held in Times Square, was promoted under the Riyadh Season banner. But in boxing, alliances can unravel as quickly as they form. And in Lopez’s case, things appear to have taken a sharp turn behind the scenes.
Though the exact cause of the fallout still remains unclear, Teofimo Lopez took to X recently with a cryptic post. “I just got fired, guys… However, before things get better, bad things must happen first!” If that wasn’t eyebrow-raising enough, he followed up with a now-deleted jab at HE Alalshikh, calling him a “D**Ktator.” Unsurprisingly, it was in response to HE Alalshikh’s post, which may have been a dig at Teofimo Lopez’s recent antics. The post written in Arabic on X read: “Maturity is to realize, most things don’t deserve a reaction.”
Moreover, when it came to a potential showdown with Jaron “Boots” Ennis, Teofimo Lopez was counting on Turki Alalshikh to deliver the blockbuster bout along with a lucrative payday. Instead, it now looks like that opportunity has slipped through Lopez’s fingers. With his relationship with HE Alalshikh on shaky ground, any big-money matchup involving Saudi backing suddenly seems out of reach. True to form, The Takeover also responded with a mix of sarcasm and self-deprecation in a now-deleted post on X. He shared an image of himself as a homeless man alongside a dog, captioned: “LOOKING FOR a NEW JOB. #HireMe. My son Teofimo Liam needs new goggles and a new spearfish gun!”
That said, Teofimo Lopez may have jeopardized any chance of fighting Jaron Ennis or Devin Haney after damaging his relationship with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. Whether the rift continues to widen or the two eventually find common ground remains to be seen. After all, HE Alalshikh has previously stated that he doesn’t need to like someone to work with them and is known for his professionalism. So, the question now is, can Teofimo Lopez still secure a deal with HE Turki Alalshikh? What do you think?
The post Devin Haney Forced to Drop Return Plan as Teofimo Lopez Delivers Retirement Scare After Failed Deal appeared first on EssentiallySports.
