Just days after Richardson Hitchins notified the IBF that he's vacated his 140 lb. world title, the organization wants mandatory challenger Lindolfo Delgado to now fight former junior middleweight champ, Teofimo Lopez.
Another "plot twist" for the now vacant International Boxing Federation's 140 lb. title, as the organization has made it known whom they want mandatory challenger Lindolfo Delgado to fight. And, that name is Teofimo Lopez.
Insider Dan Rafael reported more on his Substack about Richardson Hitchins vacating his world title to move up in weight just a day before a purse bid was to have been held on Tuesday to make his mandatory defense against Delgado.
Then, he wrote about their choice of Lopez,
"The IBF notified Carl Moretti of Top Rank, Delgado’s promoter, and Lopez co-manager Keith Connolly — who also manages Hitchins — via email of the order.
“Be advised that #1 rated Lindolfo Delgado and #5 rated Teofimo Lopez are the two highest ranked available contenders,” the IBF wrote.
They were given until the end of business on Friday to advise the IBF in writing of their availability.
Moretti said told Fight Freaks Unite that Top Rank and Delgado (24-0, 16 KOs), 31, of Mexico, have already notified the IBF they will accept their position in the fight and negotiate.
Lopez and his managers, Connolly and Mike Borao, plan to discuss the matter with Lopez ahead of the deadline. If Lopez does not respond to the IBF or declines, the organization will move down its rankings and offer the fight to he next available ranked contender."
As we wrote Tuesday, all of this was put into motion less than two weeks after Hitchins and super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga, also a Connolly client, signed multi-fight contracts with upstart, Zuffa Boxing. It had been speculated that Hitchins would keep the title and fight Delgado under Zuffa's promotion.
So, now, enter the former unified lightweight champion Lopez, 22-2, 13 KOs, who is fresh off being decisively beaten in a 12 round decision by WBO junior welterweight champ Shakur Stevenson at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 31st.
Still, Lopez is ranked #5 in the latest IBF rankings released earlier this month. However, almost comically, the IBF reached out to Lopez, because their #2 spot remains "vacant."
Their #3, Oscar Duarte, is temporarily unavailable, as he has a fight against Angel Fierro on the David Benavidez-Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez PPV undercard coming up May 2nd. And the #4 Keyshawn Davis is also unavailable, as he is signed to meet Nahir Albright in a rematch on May 16th.
The New York born Lopez is flamboyant and does have a couple of huge wins over future hall of famer Vasily Lomachenko and former undisputed 140 lb. king Josh Taylor. However, it's still a bad look that a fighter who just got dominated and lost his WBO title and has not even fought/much less won a fight in between would get the IBF's nod.
But, there is the variable that the two sides might not ultimately agree on the terms for the vacant title bout. And, the IBF would be back to square one on finding a fight for Delgado.