Teófimo López: From Lightweight Champion to Three-Division
Teófimo López’s career has moved well beyond the lightweight division. He first became a major champion at 135 pounds, later won the WBO junior welterweight title at 140, and added a welterweight world title in August 2026. His record illustrates how a boxer’s division and championship status can change over time.
Lightweight breakthrough
In October 2020, López defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko by unanimous decision in a unification bout, adding the WBA, WBO and Ring lightweight titles to his IBF belt. He later lost his unified lightweight championships to George Kambosos Jr. by split decision in November 2021.
A title at 140 pounds
López moved up to junior welterweight and beat Josh Taylor by unanimous decision in June 2023 to win the WBO title and The Ring championship. In May 2025, he defended those belts with a unanimous decision over Arnold Barboza Jr. His run at 140 ended in January 2026, when Shakur Stevenson won a unanimous decision and took The Ring and WBO junior welterweight titles.
Welterweight title in 2026
López made his welterweight debut against WBA champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero on August 22, 2026. He won a 12-round majority decision to claim the WBA welterweight title and become a three-division world champion. His career has included major wins and setbacks across three weight classes, rather than a continued run at lightweight.
Three divisions, three different tests
López’s rise began at lightweight, where his 2020 win over Vasiliy Lomachenko made him the unified champion at 135 pounds. He later moved to junior welterweight, defeated Josh Taylor for the WBO and Ring titles at 140 pounds, and defended that position against Arnold Barboza Jr. in 2025. Each step required more than adding a belt to a résumé: the opponents, reach, pace and punch resistance changed with the division. The Ring’s career record and its Barboza report document that progression.
In August 2026, López moved up again and won a majority decision over Rolando Romero for the WBA welterweight title. The result made him a three-division world champion, while the close scorecards showed the jump to 147 pounds presented a different kind of challenge. The WBA’s report records the title outcome. Across lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight, López has now won major titles at three limits, with losses and wins shaping each phase. The new belt gives him options for defenses and unification fights, but any next opponent or title plan should be treated as unsettled until the relevant promoter or sanctioning body announces it.
Sources: The Ring fighter profile; The Ring on López–Barboza; The Ring on Stevenson’s win at 140 pounds; WBA on López winning the welterweight title.
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Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
