Romero let him escape. After hurting Lopez with a counter right in the fifth, he failed to increase his output and surrendered the championship rounds by fighting in short, infrequent bursts. A more aggressive finish may have taken the decision out of Teofimo’s hands.
The southpaw stance presents a more difficult puzzle. Paro stays active behind his jab and can keep his lead foot outside Lopez’s, making Teofimo initiate rather than sit back and spring counters. Lopez has often been less effective as the designated aggressor against disciplined opponents who deny him reckless openings.
Late in the fight, the danger shifts toward Paro. He suffered severe facial swelling against Lewis Crocker and faded when Crocker pinned him along the ropes with sustained pressure. Lopez does not possess Crocker’s physical inside attack, but his explosive bursts can punish the Australian when he pauses to recover.
That victory over Crocker also gives Paro bargaining power. He moved up and took the IBF title from a natural, durable welterweight, while Lopez immediately collected hardware without first facing that type of physical test.
Such a matchup would let Lopez chase another championship while avoiding the difficult light welterweight queue he left behind. The problem is that Paro now controls the prize and has already identified the openings Romero exposed.
Getting his wish is another matter. Jack Catterall holds a WBA mandatory claim, although the sanctioning body previously allowed Romero to leave Shakhram Giyasov waiting while pursuing other business. If the WBA gives Lopez the same freedom, Catterall may find himself stuck in a similar deep freeze.
Even then, Paro is unlikely to be Teofimo’s first choice. Lopez has already named the Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn winner as the fight he wants next. Should he get through that assignment, Devin Haney would offer another lucrative unification if he still owns the WBO belt.
Talk of a Haney-Paro fight has produced no contract, and Paro dismissed those claims as “clickbait.” His IBF championship and style make him a credible threat, but neither guarantees him a place near the front of the queue. Based on the Lopez who fought Romero, Paro would beat him. The larger question is if business ever gives him the opportunity.
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