From talks of friendship and financial help to “it all disappeared the moment we signed the contract,” Teofimo Lopez vs. Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero has run the gamut of emotions. Yet, for all that bonhomie and rabble-rousing, the much-anticipated showdown for Romero’s WBA welterweight title has failed to hide a lingering issue that has now come back to bite it.
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There seems to be a notable lack of excitement usually associated with a title fight, particularly when stars are involved. Despite Romero’s larger-than-life persona and championship titles across two weight classes and Lopez’s impressive resume, which includes a win over Vasyl Lomachenko, the PBC card at T-Mobile Arena, broadcast on Amazon Prime and DAZN, appears to have fallen flat. Nothing did a better job of explaining that than veteran broadcaster Al Bernstein’s remarks, which garnered considerable reactions from fans, a few of which have now become quite familiar.
“To be honest, there is literally not an ounce of buzz here in Las Vegas for the Lopez-Romero fight. Has barely registered in terms of coverage or talk in town,” Bernstein’s X post read.
Given that the card is yet to get underway, basing those comments on any visible performance metrics would be a futile exercise. Yet, given Bernstein’s association with the sport goes back years, it is likely his comments stem from the experience of having watched some of the fights that created a huge splash.
During his stints with ESPN (1960-2003) and Showtime Championship Boxing (2003-2023), Bernstein worked on some of boxing’s greatest fights, including 1985’s Marvelous Marvin Hagler vs. Tommy Hearns (1985), early Mike Tyson fights, and the fight viewed by many as the greatest, 2005’s Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo, which Bernstein called the greatest fight he had announced at Showtime and in his career.
To be honest there is literally not an ounce of buzz. here in Las Vegas for the Lopez-Romero fight. Has barely registered in terms of coverage or talk in town.
Of course, to compare Romero vs. Lopez with those legendary battles would be incorrect. Yet, considering the names and the stakes involved, expecting a reasonable amount of excitement may not be too far off the mark.
While specific details of Romero’s last fight against Ryan Garcia, which took place a year ago, are not available, Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson was deemed a huge success, with more than 21 thousand fans setting an attendance record at the current Madison Square Garden.
So what ails the fight tonight? Comments from some of the fans and users provide ample clues.
Fans sound alarm as Rolando Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez struggles to generate buzz
A fan noted, “Al knows what a fight in Vegas feels like when it has a buzz. 🥊 Lopez (is) coming off a disappointing performance, and Romero is just Romero. The fight should be a co-main event fight only. 🥊👁️🇺🇸”
Beyond Romero’s personality, the fight is taking place 15 months after he last fought. While he remained in the spotlight due to matchup talks, that absence did take some of the appeal out of his comeback. Whether Romero vs. Lopez should have been a co-main event is a different line of argument.
While the champion and the challenger have both competed in co-main slots, they have, to their credit, previously headlined cards. So, the argument that they should have topped the bill tonight remains unconvincing.
“I’ve never been one of those “boxing is dead” types. But…proof is in the pudding. Especially in the States,” another user added. A fragmented promotional system, coupled with too many titles across weight classes that make the scene confusing and the reluctance of best fighters to face others, has given boxing a bad reputation.
Yet, with some of the biggest fights, including the ones featuring Oleksandr Usyk, Naoya Inoue, or, for that matter, the Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson fight taking place this January, that argument can be countered.
One fan stated, “It’s not a big fight; neither fighter is a big name. That’s just the reality; wake up tomorrow for results. Already got some boxing in, Japan, this morning, watching the Matchroom event in the UK.” The sentiment echoed elsewhere. “Neither are Vegas main event fighters,” another wrote.
A strong observation followed. “Not a surprise lol. Rolly isn’t a draw unless he has a strong A-side that can actually sell out arenas. Thank goodness Haney vs. Rolly wasn’t made.”
That claim, however, needs some qualification. Rolly fought two of the sport’s biggest stars in recent years. From that perspective the fan’s point does make some sense. But to say that he isn’t a draw unless he fights a star attraction doesn’t hold up, given that he has a considerable following.
Also, with Rolly’s unorthodox, aggressive, and chaotic style meeting Haney’s technical precision, that should make for an ideal clash of styles.
As one of the users stated, the proof of the pudding lies in eating. In the end, the post-fight figures should reveal the true picture of how the Rolly vs. Lopez card actually fared.
More importantly, for both the fighters, it’s a critical outing. Beyond winning, a commercially successful event would go a long way in promoting their future prospects.