Rolando Rolly Romero Defends WBA Title Against Teofimo Lopez in Las Vegas

Rolando Rolly Romero returns to the ring at T-Mobile Arena to defend his WBA welterweight title against two-division champion Teofimo Lopez.

Rolando "Rolly" Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) returns to the ring this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to defend his WBA welterweight title against Teofimo Lopez. This championship bout marks Romero’s first appearance in 15 months, following his upset victory over Ryan Garcia in May 2025. Lopez, a two-division champion, is moving up to the 147-pound limit for the first time in his career to challenge for a title in a third weight class. Romero, 30, enters the contest after claiming he was avoided by multiple opponents during his lengthy layoff.

Romero Criticizes Boxing Pay Structures

Romero argues that the current state of boxing is declining because fighters receive excessive compensation for insignificant matchups. He specifically cited Canelo Alvarez’s multi-fight deal with Riyadh Season, signed in February 2025 for a reported $400 million, as a primary example of this trend. The first fight under that agreement featured Alvarez against William Scull, who held the IBF super middleweight title but lacked widespread recognition. Romero characterized Alvarez’s upcoming October 31 bout against Christian Mbilli in Saudi Arabia as a "cash grab" and questioned why a long-discussed fight with David Benavidez never materialized before Benavidez moved up to the cruiserweight division.

Historical Sparring and Welterweight Contenders

In preparation for future bouts, Romero provided specific details regarding his past training sessions with current and former champions. He noted that he sparred Ryan Garcia on April 16, 2017, and April 18, 2017, before their professional meeting in 2025. Romero also detailed a session at Floyd Mayweather’s gym on October 13, 2016, where he faced former IBF junior welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins. Additionally, he recounted a 2021 sparring session at City Athletics in Las Vegas against current IBF welterweight champion Liam Paro while preparing for a match against Gervonta "Tank" Davis.

Industry Delays and Division Landscape

The WBA champion expressed frustration over the timing of major international bouts, specifically the heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, which he noted should have occurred years ago. He also highlighted the lack of a rematch between Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia in the two years following their April 2024 encounter. While Romero had been linked to a unification bout with Haney, who holds the WBO title, and a potential fight with Manny Pacquiao, he ultimately finalized the agreement with Lopez. The welterweight division currently features Liam Paro as the IBF titleholder and Ryan Garcia as the WBC champion.

Romero praised other fighters in the weight classes surrounding 147 pounds, including WBO junior welterweight champion Shakur Stevenson and Dalton Smith. He credited Smith for defeating Subriel Matias, a fighter Romero stated he has zero respect for due to personal grievances. Smith is currently scheduled to face Alberto Pueyo, a training partner of Romero. Regarding the lower weight classes, Romero acknowledged the punching power of former WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. and expressed confusion regarding the purse bid situation involving former WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis and Devin Haney.