Once teammates and sparring partners, Rolly Romero and Teofimo Lopez shared a decade-long friendship. Now they fight for a welterweight title.
This Saturday night in live boxing in Las Vegas sees them collide in the ring.
But they had been the best of friends not long ago, some things to note on this;
- Both competed at 2015 US Olympic qualifiers as Team USA teammates
- Bonded through amateur tournaments and countless sparring sessions
- Rolly Romero talked Lopez out of retirement before the Commey title shot
- Lopez financially supported Romero during his promotional struggles
- Last sparred in 2018; stopped after Romero elbowed Lopez in the nose
- Lopez felt “negative energy” from Romero after his Shakur Stevenson loss
- Lopez called his lawyers immediately after that locker room visit
- Friendship officially ended the moment they signed the contract
- Lopez admits he was “too kind” in sparring and now regrets it
- Romero’s newfound religion removed the personal trash talk entirely
The friendship looks non existent for the moment ahead of the fight, it is professional boxing after all.
No friends in professional boxing.
An old saying but maybe it is true.
Maybe after the fight they can shake hands and so forth though.
Roll on the Romero vs Lopez fight.
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