Teofimo Lopez officially joined the exclusive club of three-division boxing world champions on Saturday night in Las Vegas, though his WBA ******* le win over Rolando "Rolly" Romero didn't come without its share of critics and controversy.
Lopez (23-2, 13 KOs) appeared to soundly outbox a sleepy Romero (17-3, 13 KOs) inside the T-Mobile Arena to capture the WBA welterweight ******* le in a fight that never really got out of first gear. The tepid nature of the bout perhaps shouldn't have come as a surprise, considering the well-documented friendship the two fighters have shared for more than a decade, yet it was a baffling 114-114 scorecard from judge Glenn Feldman that drew just as much — if not more — condemnation as Lopez and Romero's performances Saturday.
In a fight that many observers viewed as a rout, which saw Lopez out-punch Romero 124-73 in total punches and 62-49 in power punches, Feldman improbably scored the bout a draw — meaning if judges Max DeLuca (115-113 Lopez) and Tim Cheatham (116-112 Lopez) had agreed, Romero would've controversially left Las Vegas with the WBA world ******* le still wrapped around his waist.
Fortunately, yet another boxing judging crisis was averted this time. But Lopez's win still invited a healthy mix of aspersions and praise from his fellow fighters, ranging from former opponent George Kambosos Jr. panning the bout as a "glorified sparring session," to recent foe Shakur Stevenson giving both Lopez and Romero their due credit.
Check out more reaction to Lopez vs. Romero below.
#bout #World
Lopez (23-2, 13 KOs) appeared to soundly outbox a sleepy Romero (17-3, 13 KOs) inside the T-Mobile Arena to capture the WBA welterweight ******* le in a fight that never really got out of first gear. The tepid nature of the bout perhaps shouldn't have come as a surprise, considering the well-documented friendship the two fighters have shared for more than a decade, yet it was a baffling 114-114 scorecard from judge Glenn Feldman that drew just as much — if not more — condemnation as Lopez and Romero's performances Saturday.
In a fight that many observers viewed as a rout, which saw Lopez out-punch Romero 124-73 in total punches and 62-49 in power punches, Feldman improbably scored the bout a draw — meaning if judges Max DeLuca (115-113 Lopez) and Tim Cheatham (116-112 Lopez) had agreed, Romero would've controversially left Las Vegas with the WBA world ******* le still wrapped around his waist.
Fortunately, yet another boxing judging crisis was averted this time. But Lopez's win still invited a healthy mix of aspersions and praise from his fellow fighters, ranging from former opponent George Kambosos Jr. panning the bout as a "glorified sparring session," to recent foe Shakur Stevenson giving both Lopez and Romero their due credit.
Check out more reaction to Lopez vs. Romero below.
#bout #World
20 days ago
