Teofimo Lopez Jr. says he’s retiring—and no one close to him believes it

Earlier this month, for one night, Teofimo Lopez Jr. was king of the boxing world again. The 25-year-old easily dispatched Ring Magazine and WBO junior welterweight titleholder Josh Taylor on Saturday, June 10, before a sellout crowd at The Theater in Madison Square Garden.

Lopez (19-1, 13 knockouts) was brilliant winning a unanimous decision that was far closer to Quebec judge Benoit Roussel 117-111 score than the 115-113 scores from England’s Steve Gray and New Jersey’s Joe Pasquale.

Moments after the fight, perhaps no one noticed or was willing to pay attention, Lopez said he was retiring. Perhaps more people picked it up when he repeated that to ESPN’s Max Kellerman on Monday, June 12.

Whatever the case, the newly minted Ring and WBO junior welterweight titlist maintains that boxing continues to disrespect and mistreat him—and he’s tired of it. He told Ring he walked away with a six-figure sum in handing Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) his first professional loss (the New York State Athletic Commission stated his purse as $1.5 million).

Love him or hate him, Lopez is a special talent. The version of him that tore apart Taylor on June 10 could beat any 140-pounder in the world. It was Lopez’s return to “slick boxer Gordo,” a previous rendition before he converted to slugging early in his pro career. He’s highly intelligent, far more than the boxing media, or fans give him credit for, and there is a tendency to believe him when he says he’s retired, because there is a very stubborn side to him. If you tell him one thing, he’ll smash it in your face, and despite himself, he’ll do the opposite. So, when he says something like he’s retiring from boxing, and that gets greeted by many so-called boxing pundits with derision, he might just stay retired.

“I’m really retiring, and I want to look young, feel fresh, and I look great,” Lopez said. “I know no one believes that. I know no one close to me believes it. I have businesses going, hoping to open a gym in Miami, Florida, or somewhere around there and I see how dirty boxing is getting, and I want to try and help the sport. I’m going to brand out Teo Promotions. I want to train fighters; I plan on still being involved in the sport. I have other good things going, and I want to get out while my brain is still functioning normally. My father heard about it, and this is news for him, like it is everyone else.

“He thinks I’m saying this out of emotion, but I’m working on things. I’m young, and I want to take advantage of that. Boxing needs me. I don’t need boxing. I have been able to capitalize on my success in boxing. I guess I’m tired of being used. I give the people what…