Rolly Romero vs. Teófimo López press conference quotes and fight prediction
Rolly Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) will soon put his WBA welterweight world title on the line against Teófimo López (22-2, 13 KOs).
Their bout headlines a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Fight fans around the world can catch the action live as a pay-per-view (PPV) with Prime Video and DAZN.
Both men spoke at a press conference ahead of their Aug. 22 contest. Below is some of what they had to say.
Rolly Romero vs. Teófimo López press conference quotes
Rolly Romero
“I know he didn’t want to take this fight, but I’m thankful he took it,” said Romero. “It’s gonna be a great show on Saturday night. Don’t miss it.”
“I tried to fight everybody else, all the top guys. I wanted a big fight and this is the only guy who stepped up.”
“You ever punch someone you loved in the face? If they give me a hundred million dollars I’ll punch my dad in the face right now. The friendship doesn’t matter to me at all when the bell rings.”
Teófimo López
“This guy is not in my league,” said López. “He never was in my league and he never will be.”
“Rolly and I go way back. We’ve known each other since the amateurs. We’ve shared a lot of rounds in the ring, and now we’re here 10 years later. He’s the best fighter at 147 and the hardest puncher. I’m the type of guy who goes after those challenges.”
“I’m determined, I’m ready and I’m focused on this fight. I know what it takes. He’s a heavy-handed fighter and he’s smart. He’s gotten better throughout the years. Any punch could end this fight, literally.”
Fight prediction
From Big Fight Weekend’s Ricky Carroll: Romero has that fight-altering power in his locker. He has proven that throughout his professional career, including knocking down Ryan Garcia last time out. His style is difficult to read as he operates at such an unusual tempo, which often makes him a difficult opponent to face. He also controls the distance well in his fights and will need to do this against Teofimo.
López has exceptional hand speed, which allows him to put together eye-catching combinations. He’s very good at closing the distance, something which Romero will need to negate. López is a great counter-puncher and will look to catch Romero in between him throwing punches.
At his very best, even up in weight, it’s difficult to look past López, and we are backing the challenger to win by unanimous decision and become a three-division world champion.
Full press conference
For the press conference in its entirety, click here or the play button below. Video courtesy of PBC.
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Featured Image Credit
Cris Esqueda/PBC
S Saadeq Ahmed
Currently writing out of Toronto, Canada, Saadeq first became a boxing fan while living in Doha, Qatar. Looking to become more involved in the sport, he began writing about boxing and has had work published in outlets such as Seconds Out and Boxing Social. He looks forward to continue covering boxing on Big Fight Weekend.