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The former champion says Lopez has not earned an immediate shot at Rolando Romero’s WBA welterweight title and doubts fans will pay for the event
Tim Bradley has criticized Teofimo Lopez’s upcoming WBA welterweight title shot against Rolando Romero, questioning both the matchmaking and the decision to sell the fight as a pay-per-view event. Bradley argued Lopez is coming off a defeat and believes the matchup has not earned premium billing.
“Teo coming off a loss getting a title shot. Yeah, it’s boxing,” Bradley said on his channel.
Bradley also pointed to Rolly’s inactivity, noting that the WBA champion will have been out of the ring for roughly 15 months by the time they meet.
“Haven’t fought since, what, May 2025? We in 2026, ain’t we? Damn, that’s a long time,” Bradley said.
The former two-division champion raised questions about how Lopez’s power will translate after moving up from 140 pounds and whether he’ll be able to keep the naturally bigger Romero from walking him down.
“Teofimo Lopez ain’t got no power. At 140, ain’t knocked nobody out. He going to 147, jumping up seven pounds. I’ve done it. It’s different,” Bradley said. “Rolly thumping. It’s different. He can punch.”
Bradley also wondered which version of Rolly fans will see after such a lengthy layoff, asking whether he’ll box patiently as he did against Ryan Garcia or press the action against Teofimo.
Despite his questions about the matchup, Bradley admitted he’ll still purchase the event. He doesn’t expect many fans to follow suit.
“Look, I ain’t gonna lie. I’mma buy it. But yeah, a lot of people gonna pirate this mug for real because I personally don’t think it’s pay-per-view worthy,” Bradley said.
Bradley’s criticism echoes concerns already voiced by many fans. Teofimo is receiving a title opportunity immediately after a defeat, while Rolly has gone more than a year without defending his WBA welterweight title against mandatory challenger Shakhram Giyasov.
Those factors have contributed to a mixed reaction to a fight that DAZN and Prime Video are expected to heavily promote ahead of its August 22 pay-per-view debut.
Tim Compton is a boxing journalist and contributor to Boxing247.com who has covered the international fight landscape since 2019. He reports on major developments, champions, and rising prospects with a focus on accuracy, sourcing, and analytical clarity.
Source: boxing247.com
