Rolando Romero to make first defence of WBA welterweight title on August 22

Rolando Romero vs Teofimo Lopez - Two of boxing's most colourful characters collide!

Rolando Romero will make the first defence of his WBA welterweight title on August 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and the opponent is Teofimo Lopez.

The WBA Welterweight World Champion Rolly Romero battlest two-division champ Teofimo Lopez in explosive main event of a PBC Pay-Per-View Event Available on DAZN and Prime Video Saturday, August 22 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

Romero earned this belt by upsetting Ryan Garcia by unanimous decision in May 2025, claiming a world title in a second weight class. He dropped Garcia in round two, kept the pressure on from start to finish, and walked away with a decision that caught much of the boxing world off guard.

Lopez, meanwhile, enters off a loss. His January fight against Shakur Stevenson was one-sided, with Stevenson controlling the pace and landing consistently throughout. The result left little room to interpret the defeat as close or unlucky.

It marks a significant setback for a fighter best known for upsetting Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020, one of the notable upsets of that period. Lopez now needs a meaningful win to reestablish himself as a top contender.

Stylistically, the two present a clear contrast. Romero fights aggressively, relying on pressure and power, and is willing to engage in exchanges. Lopez, by contrast, relies on speed and timing, with a counterpunching style suited to exploiting forward-moving opponents.

A clear win for Romero would suggest the Garcia result reflected genuine progress rather than an isolated upset. A win for Lopez, particularly a convincing one, would mark a turnaround for a career that has declined since his Lomachenko victory, and would add further intrigue to the welterweight division at 147.