WBA welterweight champion Rolly Romero (pictured) and former two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez will go toe-to-toe in a high-octane summer showdown Saturday, August 22nd in a PBC pay-per-view event available on DAZN and Prime Video from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Romero and Lopez, two world class fighters meeting in their prime, each enter with extensive experience at the sport’s highest level, along with a fondness for engaging pre-fight build-up that should make this one of summer’s most-discussed matchups. The unorthodox power-puncher known as “Rolly” will make the first defense of his 147-pound title after earning the belt by dropping current Ryan Garcia on his way to a unanimous decision (Garcia is now the reigning WBC welterweight champion). Romero is looking to add another elite fighter to his resume in the former world 135-pound and 140-pound champion Lopez, who will debut at welterweight with a chance to become a three-division world champion and return to his perch on boxing’s pound-for-pound lists.
Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) is known as one of the sport’s most unique and enigmatic personalities, which he backs up with power in both hands as well as an exciting, unique style that makes him a must-see whenever he steps between the ropes. The 30-year-old most recently earned a career-best victory in May 2025, as he captured the Interim WBA Welterweight Title with a unanimous decision over now WBC Welterweight World Champion Ryan Garcia, before being recently elevated. Romero not only completely neutralized Garcia’s vaunted left hook, but was also able to put Garcia on the canvas with a pair of vicious left hooks of his own in round two.
The Las Vegas native first rose to the rank of world champion in May 2023 stopping Ismael Barroso in round nine to win the WBA Super Lightweight World Championship, before relinquishing it in March against Mexican superstar Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz. The Barroso fight was Romero’s first return to the ring since a May 2022 defeat against two-division champion Gervonta Davis. Prior to the Davis fight, the Las Vegas resident Romero won an interim lightweight title in August 2020 by earning a [controversial] decision over then unbeaten Jackson Marinez.
“Four kings? I’m a black knight that delivers a smothered mate,” said Romero.
The 28-year-old Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs) has worked his way to the top spot at 135 and 140 pounds throughout an already storied career, and can begin to conquer another weight class on August 22. Representing Brooklyn, New York and now training in Las Vegas with his father, Teofimo Lopez Sr., the two-division champion reached elite status with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Vasyl Lomachenko in 2020. The triumph saw Lopez unify 135-pound titles and establish himself as one of the next generation of boxing stars, fulfilling the promise he showed representing Honduras at the 2016 Olympics and throughout his undefeated run up the lightweight rankings.
Following a split-decision defeat to George Kambosos that saw both men hit the canvas, Lopez reinvented himself at 140 pounds, showing he was still amongst the sport’s best with an impressive run that saw him capture the world 140-pound crown over Josh Taylor in 2023. At junior welterweight, Lopez bested Arnold Barboza Jr., Sandor Martin (controversially) and Jamaine Ortiz, with his only formal blemish coming in his last outing in January, a decision loss to four-division champion Shakur Stevenson. “We don’t follow the game, we take over!” said Lopez. “That what I intend to show against a person I’ve known since 2015. Rolando is aware of his choice of accepting this fight, so without a doubt, this is a fight you do not want to miss. What greater way to take over than to fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where legends are born and history is made!”
