Rolly Romero will defend his WBC Welterweight for the first time later TONIGHT (Sat., Aug. 22, 2026) against Teofimo Lopez in the main event of PBC Fight Night: “Put Up Or Shut Up”streaming live on DAZN PPV. In the co-main event of the evening, Victor Santillan will put his WBA Super Bantamweight strap on the line against hard-hitting veteran Gary Antonio Russell.
What’s Hot:
ROMERO VS. LOPEZ CHEAT SHEET
What boxing event is on tonight? “Romero vs. Lopez: Put Up Or Shut Up”
Who is fighting at Romero vs. Lopez: Rolly Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez WBA
Welterweight title fight is the 12-round main event.
What time does Romero vs. Lopez start? TONIGHT (Sat., Aug. 22, 2026), with “Prelims” beginning at 4 p.m. ET on YouTube.
Where will Romero vs. Lopez take place? T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
How can I watch Romero vs. Lopez? “Prelims” beginning at 6 p.m. ET on YouTube, with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET on DAZN PPV.
How do I bet on Romero vs. Lopez? Checkout the latest lines at DraftKings.com.
Where can I get Romero vs. Lopez updates and results? Get full Romero vs. Lopez play-by-play updates and live coverage here!
Romero won the vacant title by upsetting Ryan Garcia in May 2025, defeating him via unanimous decision in New York City (see it again here). Currently on a two-fight win streak, Romero holds a record of 17-2 with 13 knockouts on his resume, but he always wants more. Romero has often been considered an underdog, but his big win over Garcia took him up another level, and it’s where he wants to stay. A good win over Lopez will surely get him there and set him up for an even bigger fight moving forward. Since Lopez is the one moving up to 147 pounds, Romero has the strength advantage here. He’s the naturally bigger man and has that awkward, explosive power. Romero doesn’t necessarily throw textbook combinations, instead he relies on trying to catch his foes off guard. He can sit back, wait, and suddenly launch a huge left hook or right hand to get his groove going. He kind of reminds me of Marcos Maidana, but not as powerful. That said, If Teofimo gets careless entering, Rolly will make him pay.
As for Lopez, he was last seen coming up short against Shakur Stevenson earlier this year, a loss that snapped his six-fight win streak and cost him his WBO and The Ring Light Welterweight titles (highlights here). The loss to Stevenson was just the second of his career, bringing him to a record of 22-2 with 13 knockouts. Now, the former champion is out to reclaim a major world title. Lopes is the faster, more naturally athletic boxer of the two and is a great counter puncher. For Lopez, using his legs instead of standing in front of Romero will be his advantage because if Lopez chases it could lead to trouble. With wins over Vasily Lomachenko and Josh Taylor, so he has a level of championship experience Rolly hasn’t really matched yet. The two men do have a bit of a history as they were sparring partners when they were both coming up. Over time, however, the they began a bitter rivalry after Lopez released footageof him getting the better of Romero during training. Now, the former friends will finally get the chance to settle their feud in a real fight.
How The Undercard Looks:
Victor Santillan (16-2) vs. Gary Antonio Russell (21-1)
Santillan is coming off a three-round stoppage of Noel Reyes Cepeda to win the interim WBA title. He is an aggressive pressure fighter and likes to make opponents fight at his pace. He has a great body attack and what makes him dangerous is that he isn’t afraid to stay in the pocket to land his shots, as Santillan’s biggest advantage is that he doesn’t seem to mind getting into a fight. He wants to make Russell uncomfortable and force him to fight backward, which isn’t an easy thing to do. That said, Russell does have experience over him with a 21-1 record and a 62% KO percentage. His biggest advantages is his speed and Southpaw angles. He is also a great counterpuncher with the ability to change the tempo. He also has more rounds under his belt with better opposition. This one should be competitive.
Carlos Utria (14-0) vs. Israel Mercado (13-1-2)
Utria — who hails from Columbia — will be making his U.S. debut against a fighter who has already been in several meaningful fights. This 10-round battle between the unbeaten prospects should be a thriller since Utria has 11 knockouts in his resume while Mercado has seven. The thing that makes Utria dangerous — aside from his striking — is his level of confidence. He is also a great combination thrower and when he gets on the attack he is as creative as they come. That said, you get the feeling he has yet to be challenged, and Mercado will do just that. Mercado is the more seasoned fighter and has been in the trenches before, which is why Utria has to be ready for everything he throws because Mercado knows how to make fights dirty.
Marco Romero (14-0) vs. Kahlil Mitchell (6-1)
In 160-pound action, two prospects will throw down to see who can take the next big step up. Romero is 14-0 with 12 KOs, while Mitchell is 6-1 with four knockouts. Romero is making his Las Vegas debut after a decorated amateur career that reportedly won him 23 national amateur titles. Now, it’s time to see if he is ready for the bright lights of “Sin City,” which is still known as the “Fight Capital of the World.” Again, the thing that makes Romero dangerous is that he’s not simply winning fights, he’s stopping people. He’s likely going to try to establish control with his jab and then use his power once Mitchell becomes stationary, which means he will have to be on his toes. That said, Mitchell wants to play spoiler here and hand Romero his first-ever defeat, even if he lacks experience. That said, while he only has four knockouts to his resume, his advantage is that he doesn’t carry the same expectations as Romero, so he can fight a bit looser with a “nothing to lose mentality.”
Yoenli Hernandez (10-0) vs. Francisco Veron (17-1-1)
In another 160-pound, 10-round attraction, Hernandez enters his fight undefeated against Veron, who brings a 17-1-1 record and significantly more professional experience. Hernandez is also already positioned extremely highly in the rankings as the WBA abd WBO have him at No. 1, so he has expectations coming into the bout. As for Hernandez, he is just physically and athletically gifted and dangerous because he is very explosive, speedy and aggressive. To top it all off he has the power to make anyone fold as he recently stopped former world-title challenger Terrell Gausha in four rounds. After losing Brandon Adams in 2024, he rebounded with three consecutive wins, so he is pretty hot at the moment and his confidence is through the roof.
Also Blancas (2-0) vs. Ricky Mamone (0-0-1)
In what can best be described as a developmental fight between Blances and Mamone, the two men will only comepte for a total of four rounds in the Super Lightweight division. That said, there is not a ton known about the two men since there are only three fights between them. Blancas is only 2-0, but both wins have come by knockout. As for Mamone, he has essentially no professional experience at 0-0-1, which is why it makes this a very difficult matchup to evaluate. The question is whether Mamone has talent, power and overall skill to become a household name one day. It’s obviously too early, so let’s see how he does here.
Benjamin Johnson (7-0) vs. Jose Rodriguez (3-3-1)
This is another prospect showcase, but Johnson has a serious opportunity here to make a name for himself and take a next step in his career. This fight is scheduled for six rounds at welterweight, so they have to get after it right away to make an impact and coasting simply isn’t an option because they will have six less rounds to work with. That should make for an interesting fight and pace. Johnson is 7-0, so he has confidence and momentum on his side. As for Rodriguez, he is just 3-3-1, a significant step down from Johnson’s record. But fighters with losing records can sometimes be awkward because they’ve been around enough to know how to survive and, they don not really have much to lose. That is what makes him such a dangerous opponent for an undefeated prospect.
Interest Level: 5.5/10
It’s not the most loaded boxing card of 2026 to justify a $79.99 price tag, and even the Romero vs. Lopez headliner isn’t exactly getting fans to fork over that kind of money. While talented, they don’t really have the box office appeal that Ryan Garcia, Tank Davis and Devin Haney command. Unless your a super hard-core boxing fan, this card might not do much for you. That said, those that tune in will be in for a nice night of fisticuffs. For Lopez, it’s his chance to once again get back into the championship side of things, while Romero is out to prove that he should not be over-looked when it comes to talking about the best fighters in the sport.
Enjoy the fights!
Full Romero vs. Lopez Fight Card:
Romero vs. Lopez Main Event on DAZN PPV (10:00 p.m. ET):
147 lbs.: Rolly Romero (17-2) vs. Teofimo Lopez (22-2)
Romero vs. Lopez Underard on DAZN PPV(6 p.m. ET):
122 lbs.: Victor Santillan (16-2) vs. Gary Antonio Russell (21-1)
140 lbs.: Carlos Utria (14-0) vs. Israel Mercado (13-1-2)
160 lbs.: Marco Romero (14-0) vs. Kahlil Mitchell (6-1)
160 lbs.: Yoenli Hernandez (10-0) vs. Francisco Veron (17-1-1)
140 lbs.: Also Blancas (2-0) vs. Ricky Mamone (0-0-1)
147 lbs.: Benjamin Johnson (7-0) vs. Jose Rodriguez (3-3-1)
