Romero cuts and hurts Lopez in the fifth before 62 landed jabs help turn the welterweight title fight.
Teofimo Lopez became a three-division world champion Saturday night in Las Vegas, defeating Rolly Romero by majority decision in his first fight at welterweight. Scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114 gave Lopez the WBA title after Romero threatened to take control in the fifth.
The victory makes Lopez a three-division world champion, but Romero gave him a rough introduction to championship boxing at 147 pounds.
That threat became real in the fifth.
Romero opened a significant cut over Lopez’s right eye and followed with a left hook and looping right that hurt the challenger. Lopez stayed composed under pressure, survived the follow-up attack and made it back to his corner without allowing Romero to turn his best spell into a finish.
Lopez changed the terms afterward.
He used his feet to manage the distance and leaned heavily on a jab Romero struggled to solve. CompuBox credited Lopez with a career-high 62 landed jabs and a 124-73 advantage in total punches.
Romero failed to reach double figures in punches landed in every round except the fifth.
Lopez acknowledged that Romero’s power briefly caught his attention.
“He hit me with a shot that woke me up. I told him he has to do better than that. I was just buzzed. I got right back to it.”
Romero produced another opening late in the 11th when a left hook knocked Lopez off balance, keeping the scorecards in play entering the final round.
The judges ultimately favored Lopez’s cleaner work and greater output. Romero wanted no part of their verdict.
“I got hit with two punches the whole fight that barely grazed me,” Romero said. “I was never in any trouble. When I heard 114-114 I knew it was a robbery.”
The numbers support Lopez’s greater output without erasing Romero’s cleaner moments. Lopez needed jab discipline and footwork because standing his ground against Romero’s right hand and left hook invited the trouble he found in the fifth.
