Romero retains WBA welterweight crown in Las Vegas

Rolly Romero has successfully defended his WBA Welterweight title against Teofimo Lopez in a bout held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 22 August 2026. The fight, which was streamed live on DAZN PPV, represented Romero’s first opportunity to retain the championship he secured the previous year with a victory over Ryan Garcia.

For Lopez, the contest offered a chance to regain momentum following a setback in his previous outing, where he lost his WBO and The Ring Light Welterweight titles to Shakur Stevenson. The main card, which commenced at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, featured a series of other bouts, including a co-main event in which Victor Santillan lost his interim Super Bantamweight title to Gary Antonio Russell by unanimous decision.

In the opening round, the fighters exchanged jabs immediately upon meeting in the centre of the ring. Romero, who had been away from the ring for 15 months, utilised a double jab, while Lopez landed a left hook and body shots. Lopez appeared unwilling to commit fully at the start, but managed to land a lunging left hand before Romero landed a shot just after the bell.

The second round saw Lopez emerge as the faster striker, pressing forward with jabs to the chest and a liver shot. Romero employed a check left hook to keep Lopez at bay, though Lopez continued to land good body punches once he established himself on the inside. The play-by-play for the early rounds highlighted Lopez’s aggressive approach against Romero’s defensive adjustments.

Other results from the card included Carlos Utria defeating Israel Mercado by unanimous decision in a 140-pound bout, and Yoenli Hernandez defeating Francisco Veron by unanimous decision. Marco Romero secured a first-round technical knockout victory over Kahlil Mitchell, while Joseph Brown defeated Alton Wiggins by unanimous decision.

Additional bouts saw Also Blancas defeat Ricky Mamone by unanimous decision, and Benjamin Johnson defeat Jose Rodriguez by unanimous decision. The event served as a significant platform for the WBA to showcase its welterweight division, with Romero’s successful defence anchoring the evening’s proceedings.