“I’m just going to walk him down,” Rolly said to Sean Zittel while discussing his August 22 WBA welterweight title defense against Teofimo at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Romero showed against Ryan Garcia last year how his pressure can work together with his counters. Garcia attacked early, but Romero repeatedly caught him with countershots in the second round. Garcia became tentative afterward, relying heavily on his jab while Romero took command by coming forward.
Teofimo has repeatedly looked uncomfortable when opponents fight without fear and keep him under fire.
Steve Claggett was supposed to provide a manageable title defense in 2024. Instead, his relentless pressure forced Teofimo to spend long stretches fighting with his back against the ropes, blocking punches and trying to counter while Claggett kept attacking. Teofimo won clearly, but the fight was far more difficult than anticipated, and his face was badly swollen afterward.
George Kambosos Jr. presented a more dangerous version of the problem in 2021. He refused to be intimidated, pressured Teofimo, and countered him during exchanges, handing Lopez his first professional defeat.
Vasiliy Lomachenko’s 2020 loss provided another example. Lomachenko fought cautiously through the first half, giving Teofimo room to control the action. Once Lomachenko began attacking aggressively during the second half, Teofimo’s best victory became a much harder fight.
Shakur Stevenson used a different approach. He didn’t need Claggett-style pressure. His superior boxing allowed him to neutralize Teofimo’s offense, catching him with jabs and clean shots when Lopez attacked.
Romero isn’t Shakur technically, but he brings an interesting combination for this matchup. He is willing to pressure while possessing the counterpunching ability with power to punish Teofimo when he opens up.
The danger works both ways. Teofimo is an excellent counterpuncher himself, and Romero cannot simply march forward recklessly. His success against Garcia came from making Ryan hesitant to attack before taking advantage by walking him down.
If Rollt can create that same hesitation on August 22, Teofimo may find himself in another difficult fight against an opponent who refuses to respect his offense and keeps him under fire.
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