LOS ANGELES – On a day they dressed up the merciless boxing business as a love story, the welterweight world champion headlining the August 22 main event had quite a different story to tell.
Premier Boxing Champions and DAZN Thursday formally announced a union that will launch later this month and continue past next month’s Rolly Romero-Teofimo Lopez WBA title fight at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena to at least three other 2026 cards before a multi-year agreement described as “inevitable” will be struck.
Basking in that arrangement is former two-division champion Lopez, 22-2 (13 KOs), who told reporters that after selling more tickets at Madison Square Garden than the 1971 ‘Fight of the Century’ between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali – while losing in January to Shakur Stevenson – he has a deal with DAZN worth more than $20-million.
“You can’t demand things if you don’t supply nothing,” Lopez told reporters at the news conference for his bid to become a three-division champion. “You’ve got to look at your market. I supply and I demand.”
Romero, 17-2 (13 KOs), meanwhile, has been on the shelf for more than 14 months after his memorable knockdown and unanimous-decision victory in May 2025 over new WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia at Times Square in New York.
While saying, in hindsight, that he needed the break to undergo a spiritual awakening, he also lamented the retreat of Garcia, WBC No. 1-ranked Conor Benn and WBO champion Devin Haney from negotiations that were far down the line before being scrapped.
“Bruh, if guys are scared, guys are scared. You can’t do anything about it,” Romero told BoxingScene.
He said Garcia shied from talks that had finalized the venue and several finer points.
“They straight ducked me – we had the immediate rematch, the whole signed deal, the venue, the splits, everything. Every little detail,” Romero said.
Regarding Benn he said: “We had the whole deal done to fight May 30 at Barclays Center.” Instead, Benn fought veteran Regis Prograis in his retirement fight in April, and is now close to finalizing a deal to fight for Garcia’s belt in September.
Romero aimed extra scorn at the unbeaten Haney for retreating from a bout even after Romero had launched training camp expecting the fight to happen.
“The Devin Haney fan base is completely filled with idiots,” Romero said. “I pressed the initiative, I sent the contracts. They wasted a month, then said I ducked.“
When Lopez handed Romero a large toy rubber duckie, the witty Romero responded quickly, “Oh, it’s Devin Haney.”
By saying yes, yes, and yes, to such formidable foes, Romero, 30, shares a profound fighting mindset with former sparring partner Lopez, who responded to the unanimous-decision 140lbs defeat to four-division champion Stevenson by moving up in weight and fighting a world champion.
“With Shakur, I should’ve trusted my instincts [and] should’ve moved to 147 a year ago, but we haven’t missed a beat,” Lopez said.
He told BoxingScene the January 31 defeat is part of “all of [that] motivates me, because it’s not how you fail, but it’s how you rise. You’ve got to step up to the plate. I need to realize what lies within myself. I didn’t call myself ‘The Takeover’ to not take over.”
The card, which will include a bout with Cuba’s impressive top-ranked middleweight Yoenli “Yo Yo” Hernandez, is coined ‘Put up or Shut up’ in a nod to both fighters’ ability to talk smack.
Lopez said he’s up for it, realizing he can’t afford a second consecutive defeat while satisfying his Latino fan base’s wishes after the lopsided loss to Stevenson.
His manager, Keith Connolly, said the benefits of moving to the glamorous 147 division intending to pursue an undisputed reign is brilliant and potentially lucrative.
“The minute he wins this fight – and I’m guaranteeing a victory by Teofimo Lopez – he’s set up for every mega-fight… Ryan Garcia, Conor Benn, Devin Haney,” Connolly said. “He has to win this fight, and he will win this fight, and he’ll be back on the Mount Rushmore of the sport.”
Lopez said he’s ready to give Romero the proverbial “business.”
“You’ve got to bring the fight, push the tempo. It’s put up or shut up for a reason,” Lopez said. “Put up our best, or that’s the rest.”
Promoter Tom Brown said he expects the fighters to set aside their former friendship fully once the first bell rings.
“Lopez is going to come to fight. I think it’ll be a shootout early, they’ll test that power and then we’ll see where it goes,” Brown said. “The first couple rounds will be very interesting.”
Romero, of course, has a wealth of pent-up energy after the others paused him.
“I wanted to unify right away, but this will be an amazing name on my resume and a Hall of Fame victory,” he said.
After so much of his time was wasted by the nasty part of the business, the unpredictable Romero let everyone know that, moving forward, his time is precious.
“People don’t ever get their flowers while they can still smell them, right?” Romero asked. “They’re going to appreciate me long after I’m gone. I’m just passing by. I’m not here for a long time, so learn from me now because I’m not going to be here forever.”
Sounds like he’s learned a valuable trick of the trade.