Oscar De La Hoya has slid a rescue raft across boxing’s turbulent waters, inviting Teófimo Lopez to sign with Golden Boy Promotions and “become a PPV star” if the two-division champion finds himself promoter-less. The outreach comes as Lopez scrambles to repair the damage from his social-media rant that labeled Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh a “DICKTator,” remarks laced with homophobic overtones.
Lopez issued a public apology on X, but Alalshikh has yet to respond. Without Riyadh Season backing, Lopez’s route to eight-figure paydays against Devin Haney or Ryan Garcia narrows, making De La Hoya’s offer both timely and potentially pivotal. Golden Boy, after all, has already positioned Garcia and Vergil Ortiz Jr. for blockbuster bouts and needs fresh marquee talent at 140 lbs.
Yet a new banner won’t erase recent form questions. Lopez’s May 2 decision over Arnold Barboza Jr. at Times Square was heavy on footwork, light on fireworks, and drew criticism for PPV value. His public push for a Jaron “Boots” Ennis clash reads to some as a cash-out maneuver rather than a march toward light-welterweight supremacy.
Watch Lopez vs. Barboza Jr. highlights: Watch
Even under Golden Boy’s spotlight, Lopez must solve the Gary Antuanne Russell and Richardson Hitchins puzzles to stay elite. So, will Turki forgive - or will “The Takeover” need a takeover of his own?
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