Rolando “Rolly” Romero will make the first defense of his WBA belt against Teofimo Lopez on August 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on DAZN PPV and as part of the DAZN Ultimate Plan.

On September 12 at the same venue, Ryan Garcia will make his first WBC title defense against Conor Benn on Paramount+ in the United States and DAZN in the UK and Ireland.

If Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) emerges victorious, he hopes to face the Aug. 22 winner and anticipates it will be Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs).

“I feel like Teofimo has his number,” Garcia said in a sit-down interview with The Ring’s Mike Coppinger. “I think the sparring is gonna play a part in it. They're gonna both have a sense of hesitation because of the sparring, but when Teofimo really believes in himself … he knows what to do to Rolly.”

Either fight would be intriguing for Garcia, of Victorville, California.

A bout with Lopez, who can become a three-division champion by beating Romero (17-2, 13 KOs), would pit two of boxing’s more dynamic fighters in a unification bout. Lopez, making his welterweight debut, is coming off a one-sided unanimous decision defeat to The Ring and WBO 140-pound titleholder Shakur Stevenson on January 31.

If Romero wins, it’d give Garcia, 27, a chance to avenge his last loss.

The 30-year-old floored Garcia early, en route to a one-sided decision win in May 2025 for the interim WBA 147-pound title. The Las Vegas native, who hasn't fought since upsetting Garcia, was elevated to full champion in August as unified 154-pound champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis vacated before making the junior middleweight move.

While Garcia wants to rematch Romero, he isn’t hellbent on making it happen in the near future unless he beats Lopez.

“If I could complete a side mission to redeem myself for that or right that wrong, I will,” Garcia said. "Right now, I feel like I have bigger fish to fry.”

Any hopes of getting a unification bout with Lopez or Romero next hinges on Garcia getting past Benn (25-1, 14 KOs). If Garcia, The Ring’s No. 5 welterweight, can do so in the fashion he expects, he believes everything can change for the better.

“I have a clear opportunity to take over the sport for this fight,” Garcia said. “Fighting on Mexican Independence Weekend, everybody behind me, and the type of opponent I have, it could change my life.”