“I can’t figure it out,” were the first words from Bob Arum upon learning that Teofimo Lopez had turned down the Devin Haney fight last month. It was a matchup Lopez had pursued for years, and according to Arum, it was “a much more winnable fight than with Ennis.” For weeks, reports suggested that ‘The Dream’ and the WBO Super Lightweight champion were closing in on a deal for an August 16 bout in Riyadh, set at a 145-pound catchweight. With both fighters’ schedules seemingly open, the timing appeared ideal. However, just days before the agreement was to be finalized, Lopez pulled out. Why?

Teofimo Lopez later explained that while he had received the contract, he never accepted it, even with an $11 million offer on the table. “I never took the deal that the checkerboard people wanted me to take, and I think this is what comes with it, people,” he said, attributing his decision to a gut feeling. Ultimately, with Lopez stepping away, Haney quickly pivoted, securing a bout with Brian Norman Jr., who will be defending his WBO World Welterweight title. But even that development doesn’t seem to sit well with the 27-year-old.

Yesterday, Benji took to X and reshared a clip from BoxingWiZ1 with a caption that read, “Teofimo Lopez explains why he believes Devin Haney cherry picked Brian Norman Jr.” In the clip, Lopez can first be heard saying, “Brian Norman Jr is not seasoned. He is not seasoned enough.” From there, the 22-1 fighter goes on to tear down the undefeated 28-0 boxer’s résumé and skillset, calling into question whether Norman is truly ready for a fighter of Devin Haney’s caliber.

Referencing Norman’s recent fifth-round KO win over Jin Sasaki, a fight that reportedly left Sasaki with short-term memory loss and unable to recall events from the prior month and a half, Lopez scoffed, “He had a big knockout, but against who? Think about it. Against who?” With that, Lopez questioned the quality of Norman’s opponents and cast doubt on the legitimacy of his rising profile.

Attempting to bolster his case, Lopez further added, “Japan is very strong. They got good boxers and stuff like that. Don’t get me wrong. I faced (and won) one of Masayoshi Nakatani who faced Verdejo and Lomachenko, you know what I’m saying? However, who is the guy that Brian Norman Jr. fought?” He even went ahead to claim that Top Rank knows how to build their fighters, saying, “I came from the slots of Top Rank, and I know how that goes. So I think that the Haneys just feel like they have their edge.” Unsurprisingly, fans weren’t thrilled with Teofimo Lopez’s comments and quickly flamed him online for his controversial take.

The audacity of Teofimo Lopez knows no bounds

One fan didn’t hold back, calling Teofimo Lopez “delusional.” The user wrote, “Teofimo been delusional since Kambosos put paws on him.” The 2021 bout, which remains Lopez’s only professional loss, is still being mocked by fans, and his latest remarks are earning him widespread backlash. Many are calling out what they see as erratic behavior, with one user simply stating, “Teo, you ducked Norman..😂😂😂.”

In case you forgot, after dominating Steve Claggett in Florida, Teofimo Lopez made it clear he wanted to fight four times last year, including a bout with the gritty Norman Jr., who outlasted Giovani Santillan in a bloody war last May. But that fight never happened, so criticizing Norman’s skills now was bound to rub fans the wrong way.

Another fan noted, “Norman seems ready though, even with lack of experience.” While it’s true Devin Haney turned pro in 2015 and has more experience than Brian Norman Jr., who turned pro in 2018, their recent performances tell a different story. When comparing their last three fights, the difference in output becomes evident. Norman boasts a 78.57% KO ratio in 30 fights, while Haney’s KO rate sits at just 46.88% over 33 bouts. So, while their styles and approaches vary, claiming Norman isn’t ready or worthy feels like a stretch to many.

Ultimately, fans found Teofimo Lopez’s stance more laughable than anything. One user quipped, “How Teo going to duck Devin and criticize who he’s fighting 😂,” while another added, “Wowww Teo has some nerve when he ducked both Norman AND Devin. Nasty work.” With concerns over drug testing protocols still clouding the Haney vs. Norman Jr. fight, two questions remain: Will the bout even happen? And more importantly, was it really fair for Teofimo Lopez to criticize Haney’s choice when he himself backed out of the same opportunity?