Lopez said he’s on a different level than Romero and took aim at how he won titles at lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight at the final press conference on Thursday. The New York native looks to become a three-division champion when he challenges Romero for his WBA welterweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.

“To me, he's an interim champion,” Lopez said. “He's always been a three-division interim champion. He's never been an actual super or any world champion. He's been elevated. I think some people forget that this guy is not in my league. He won't ever be in my league. He never was in my league. I think that's the whole purpose of this thing is for me to show everyone that.”

Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) beat Ryan Garcia by unanimous decision for a secondary WBA welterweight title in May 2025. He was elevated to full champion later that year after Jaron “Boots” Ennis moved up to 154 pounds. Romero, 29, hasn’t fought since beating Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs).

Romero, 30, trailed on all three cards before scoring a controversial ninth-round stoppage of Ismael Barroso to win the then-vacant WBA 140-pound title in May 2023. The belt was vacant after Alberto Puello was stripped following a failed drug test ahead of a scheduled bout against Romero. The Las Vegas native lost his first title defense by eighth-round stoppage against Isaac Cruz in March 2024.

In August 2020, Romero won the interim WBA lightweight title when he beat Jackson Marinez by unanimous decision. He challenged Gervonta Davis for his secondary WBA lightweight title in May 2022 but lost by sixth-round stoppage.

Much of the build-up has consisted of Lopez ’s and Romero’s friendship, which includes them sparring 10 years ago. Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs) said his approach on Saturday will be far different compared to the last time they shared the ring.

“I think all the times I sparred with you, I'll say right now, Rolly, I took it light on you,” Lopez said. “I'm not going to this fight. I'm not going to at all. We're not doing none of that. We're gonna put you down.”

Lopez, 29, won his first world title in December 2019 with a second-round stoppage of Richard Commey to win the IBF lightweight belt, then became the unified champion 10 months later when he beat Vasiliy Lomachenko. He lost the titles when he was upset by George Kambosos by split decision in November 2021.

Lopez moved up to 140 pounds and, after scoring victories over Pedro Campa and Sandor Martin, beat Josh Taylor by unanimous decision in June 2023 to become The Ring and WBO champion. He notched three title defenses before losing a one-sided unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson on January 31 in his last fight.

Lopez is fighting at 147 pounds for the first time when he faces Romero.

“It's going to be exciting for me,” Lopez said of fighting at welterweight. “[Fighting at] 135 was fun, 140 was a learning curve and now at 147, I feel like I'm filled in. I feel exactly where I should have been a year ago.”

Romero versus Lopez headlines a Premier Boxing Champions card on DAZN PPV and Amazon Prime Video PPV (8 p.m. ET) for $79.99 in the United States. Subscribers to the DAZN Ultimate plan, which costs $49.99 in the U.S. and £24.99 in the UK, can watch the card at no additional cost.