‘Bad fight, bad scoring’: Teofimo Lopez’s win over Rolly Romero sparks backlash from boxing world

Teofimo Lopez officially joined the exclusive club of three-division boxing world champions on Saturday night in Las Vegas, though his WBA title 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 title 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.

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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 title 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.