Teofimo Lopez Says He’s Finally Fixed What Went Wrong — Now Rolly Romero Gets to Test It

Teofimo Lopez isn’t treating Saturday night’s fight with Rolly Romero like another chance to collect a championship belt. He’s talking like a fighter trying to reboot his career. Ahead of his move to welterweight to challenge Romero for the WBA title, Lopez said his biggest changes since his previous fight have centered around preparation, technique and improving his mental approach. He says he went back to the drawing board after his loss to Shakur Stevenson and believes this training camp has put him in a much better place. 

That makes Romero an interesting opponent for this version of Lopez. Rolly enters with confidence after his upset victory over Ryan Garcia, and he has made it clear he plans to pressure Lopez when they meet Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Lopez, meanwhile, is jumping to 147 pounds and attempting to become a champion in a third weight division. The matchup itself has been official since July, so the fresh story isn’t that they’re fighting—it’s what Lopez says has changed since his last defeat.

Boxing has heard comeback promises before. Saturday gives Lopez the chance to prove his “reset” is more than fight-week talk. If his preparation and mindset really are different, beating Romero could launch another chapter of the Takeover. If not, the questions surrounding Lopez will only get louder.