“I Told You So”: Amid $2.2 Billion Network Shutting Down Rumors, Teófimo Lopez Reminds Everyone He Predicted Their Fall

Teofimo Lopez is back in the news. It seems ‘The Takeover’ has made a habit of grabbing headlines in spurts. Probably, to the relief of many fans, this time around, the news is not about him. Instead, he discussed the mysterious whispers of Showtime Boxing’s impending demise, about which he had a hunch sometime ago. Taking to his X account, he claimed to have a firm grasp on the economic expansion that extensive networks and distributors hoped to achieve despite his relative youth.

FighHype uploaded an interview with Teofimo Lopez sometime before the Lomachenko fight. At the time, an IBF Lightweight title holder, Lopez, seemed unhappy with Showtime, whose net worth in the current year hovers in the vicinity of $2.2 billion. He said, “…so they [burned] their bridge with Teofimo. I’m sure they don’t care right now, but like I said before, give it a decade from now, [and] we’ll see who’s still around. Give it five years from now; …half a decade; give it two years; give it a year.”

In case you missed it! Teofimo Lopez

Showtime Boxing has been a monthly staple since its debut in March 1986. Recently, social media was awash with rumors that Showtime was planning to end its boxing coverage.

So Teofimo Lopez took to his X account and said, “I may be young, but I understand the economic growth the significant networks & distributors are looking for… [This] was almost [2 years] ago] A pat on the back to me and [an] “I told you so” to you !!”

‘The Takeover’ said, “Showtime… Showtime, on the other hand, they did what they had to do with Canelo and everything, but I guarantee you, Showtime ain’t go last long. They not. I give it a couple of more years.” He took the example of HBO: “And HBO was how long?… About 40 years longer than Showtime. And what happened to HBO?… Unfortunately, they went out. Showtime has (done great things for boxing)…thus far, but the  thing is, eventually, they will…”

In January, Deadline reported that the brand ‘Showtime’ would be retired. Along with other changes, Paramount Global announced that it would rename its premium cable network ‘Paramount + with Showtime,’ thus uniting the two brands in the streaming sphere.

So, according to an article on Bad Lefthook, the move didn’t specify anything specific for boxing. It further mentioned how similar measures took place at HBO, which eventually stopped airing boxing in 2018 after a forty-year run.

Back for a ‘Takeover’

Two years ago, Teofimo Lopez stunned the world with a masterclass over a technically brilliant Vasyl Lomachenko. After handing over the unification titles to George Kambosos Jr. a year later, he moved to the Lightweight division. He made his intentions clear, going after the former undisputed champion Josh Taylor for his WBO and The Ring titles.

And win, he did absolutely. But then he dropped the next bomb. Two days after the win, Lopez announced his retirement from the sport and surrendered his belts. Many fans and pundits never took the decisions seriously. Eventually, as it turned out, the Honduran-American boxer announced a return roughly a month later, expressing his interest in continuing as the WBO world champion when the governing body sought a final confirmation with 24-hour notice.

Read More: “I Don’t Want to See a Weight Drained Weakened [Teofimo Lopez] Fighting [Gervonta Davis]”: Floyd Mayweather’s Wish Sparks Debate Among Boxing Fans

Who, in your opinion, would be the most apt match-up for Teofimo Lopez’s next fight? Please share your thoughts and views with us in the comments below.

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