Teófimo López wins WBA welterweight title by majority decision over Rolly Romero

Teófimo López beat former sparring partner Rolly Romero by majority decision to claim a world title in his third weight class.

A former sparring partnership turned professional rivalry ended Saturday night in Las Vegas, where Teófimo López defeated Rolly Romero by majority decision to capture the WBA welterweight title. The victory made López a world champion in three separate weight classes, a milestone achieved against a man who had once been his training partner and supporter. Romero had held the WBA welterweight belt after previously winning it from Ryan Garcia. The two fighters' shared history added an unusual personal dimension to the bout — López later noted that the friendship had dissolved ahead of the fight, saying simply, 'The friendship disappeared.' Romero did not accept the outcome quietly, publicly condemning the judges' decision as a 'robbery' after the final bell. Majority decisions — where two judges score for one fighter while the third scores a draw — are among the more disputed verdicts in boxing, and Romero's reaction reflected his belief that the scorecards did not reflect what happened in the ring.

Why it matters

Winning a world title in three weight classes places López among a select group of fighters in boxing history. The disputed verdict and Romero's vocal objection could set up a rematch.

What's next

Whether Romero pursues a rematch clause or formal appeal of the majority decision outcome is not yet reported.

Key facts

• López won the WBA welterweight title by majority decision in Las Vegas
• The victory gave López world titles in three different weight classes
• Romero had previously won the WBA welterweight belt from Ryan Garcia
• López and Romero were former sparring partners before their professional rivalry developed
• Romero publicly called the result a 'robbery' after the fight
• A majority decision means two judges scored for López while one scored the bout a draw

Bias & framing notes

Both sources come from the same outlet, The Guardian, limiting independent corroboration. The pre-fight feature framed the story around the personal backstory of the two fighters' friendship, while the result report focused on the outcome and Romero's protest. Neither source provided detailed round-by-round analysis or the actual scorecards, leaving the basis for Romero's 'robbery' claim unexamined.

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