Teofimo Lopez beat Rolando Romero over twelve in Las Vegas this weekend to become WBA welterweight world champion.

The PBC main event failed to catch fire, with Lopez banking rounds through activity and accuracy while ‘Rolly’ – who was upgraded to full WBA champion last year – was largely passive and looking for a fight-changing shot.

That almost came in the fifth, when Lopez was rocked to his boots by a huge overhand right. Though he also suffered a cut from the exchange, the 29-year-old recovered and continued to control the action.

AND NEW ✅

Highlights from Teofimo Lopez’s world title win vs Rolly Romero 🍿 pic.twitter.com/CHIsqJoJh5

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) August 23, 2026

Speaking to Fight Hub TV post-fight, Lopez said he was ‘thankful’ that he was caught clean in the fifth stanza.

“I’m so thankful for that punch. That thing woke me up and made me realise why I’m doing what I’m doing. I bit down on that mouthpiece and said ‘you gotta do better than that to get me out, we gonna fight, let’s go.’”

Asked to analyse Romero’s power, which has produced 13 knockouts in 17 wins, Lopez was not overawed, though did brand him the biggest puncher in the division.

“It’s strong, I’d say. His right is stronger than his left. I’m happy to take out the biggest puncher at 147.”

As for the rest of the welterweight scene, Lopez will likely ignore Romero’s calls for a rematch and look to unify against one of his fellow champions. Devin Haney currently holds the WBO, Liam Paro the IBF and Ryan Garcia the WBC, though he puts that on the line in September against mandatory challenger Conor Benn.

Organizers of the 2026 Sydney Marathon are making the best of the situation after minting tens of thousands of medals engraved with depictions of landmarks from the eastern Australian city along with one that doesn’t belong — the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.

The medal should have instead shown the Allianz Stadium in Sydney, which is one of the sights that participants in the upcoming race will pass while running the the 42.2-kilometer (26.2-mile) course.

More than 40,000 participants are expected to earn the medal as a “badge of honor” for completing the race on August 30.

Other landmarks shown include the famous Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

What have organizers said about the medal mix-up?

“A little too much international flavor has found its way onto the back of the finishers medal, with an incorrect depiction of the stadium,” a Sydney Marathon spokesperson said.

“We’re not going to run from it, it was an unfortunate error; though it’s certainly given everyone somehing to talk about this weekend, mostly in good humor,” the spokesperson said.

“With the event a week away, this is the medal our finishers will receive.”

“Behind every one of these medals is months of early mornings, long runs and quiet determination, and having it placed around your neck at the Sydney Opera House is a moment our participants will never forget,” the spokesperson added.

“It’s a beautiful medal, and now a little more unique.”

Good-humored reaction from Munich

Munich’s Allianz Arena has responded in light-hearted manner.

“Oh wow, we didn’t have that on our bingo card!” it posted on Instagram.

“Perhaps they tried to find something else they had in common: Allianz Arena — Sydney Opera — Unique Architecture — Both are worth a visit!”

The daily Sydney Morning Herald also came up with a gleefully teasing headline: “The medal that will put Sydney on the map. The wrong map.”  

The other side of the medal shows shows a gold-and-indigo pattern by First Nations artist Ambrose Killian that has been widely commended.

Killian has said he was not involved in the design of the side showing the landmarks.

Edited by: Natalie Muller

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Gold Coast Belle is set for a more demanding campaign after commencing her racing return with a win at Sandown on Saturday.

Trainer Danny O’Brien has indicated a progression to Group 2 company for the four-year-old mare, who decisively outclassed her rivals, including the previously unbeaten Tennessee Bound, in the $150,000 Dr Sheahan Plate (1300m) restricted to benchmark 88 performers.

The daughter of So You Think notched her fourth straight win on her first start since capturing the Listed Bendigo Guineas (1400m) on May 1. O’Brien confirmed that the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at their home track of Flemington on September 12 is the next target.

“She’s probably in set-weights Stakes races for the rest of the spring, but this looked a good starting point for her and, fortunately, that’s the way it panned out,” O’Brien said. “She was always travelling very comfortably and let down really well. She got across the softish ground with no problem, so there were a few things we hadn’t seen before that she did today.”

“She gets to the Let’s Elope and then the other mares’ race on Turnbull Day (Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes) – they’re both 1400 at Flemington – which looks the right set-up for her.”

While the Let’s Elope Stakes and Rose Of Kingston Stakes often serve as stepping stones to the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on Derby Day, O’Brien expressed hope for an invitation to the $2 million Group 2 The Invitation in Sydney a week earlier.

Gold Coast Belle ($2.30) proved too strong for Tennessee Bound, which was aiming for a seventh successive victory to begin its career, finishing 2-1/4 lengths ahead of the $2.70 second favourite, with Moby Dick ($13) a neck further back in third.

This victory represented Gold Coast Belle’s fifth win from just seven career starts, with her other two appearances resulting in second-place finishes.

Although Jordan Childs has been her regular rider, O’Brien utilized the services of top apprentice Logan Bates, who still benefits from a 1.5kg claim for Saturday’s race. The young jockey felt in command of the race throughout.

“We were able to get in a nice controlling position and she just trucked the whole way,” Bates commented. “When I did ask her, gee she let go, and she was having a good look about. She just showed her class today.”

Consider the online bookmakers for your betting needs on this race.

Former Brazil football star Ronaldinho, who had retired in 2015, said on Thursday that he was making a comeback 11 years later with Italian third-division club Ravenna to try and score “a 300th goal”. 

Gilas Pilipinas women rule Stop 6 final of the Fiba 3×3 Nations League-Asia SEA Conference. –FIBA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Gilas Pilipinas Women will be flying to Wuhan, China, next month after successfully punching a ticket to the Fiba 3×3 U23 World Cup.

On Sunday at Hextar World in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, the Philippines defeated Chinese Taipei, 17-15, in the Stop 6 final of the Fiba 3×3 Nations League-Asia SEA Conference.

The U23 squad could have bolstered its chances in Stop 5 but fell to New Zealand, 16-11, 24 hours earlier.

Fortunately for the Gilas Women, the win over Chinese Taipei the next day effectively secured them a slot in the Wuhan games.

In the end, the Philippines finished with 510 points to book its berth in the World Cup.

Far Eastern University’s Amyah Espano and Victoria Pasilang, State U’s Kennan Ka and Marielle Vingno, and Adamson’s Jam Meniano bannered the Philippines in the U23 competition.

Meanwhile, the Gilas U23 3×3 squad settled for second place in the same tournament.

After beating Vietnam and Chinese Taipei earlier in the day, the U23 boys fell to New Zealand in the final, 21-18.8.

The Gilas Women now join the Gilas Boys U21 3×3 squad as the Philippines’ other representative in the World Cup.

Britain’s Joe Fraser won gold in the high bar and bronze in the parallel bars at the European Gymnastics Championships in Zagreb.

The 27-year-old scored 14.3 with one of the most difficult routines of the finals to claim his first high bar gold at a major championship.

“I’m very, very proud,” said Fraser, who has also won Commonwealth, European and world golds on the parallel bars.

“It’s not just me. It’s everyone behind the scenes – my coaches, my family. Everyone contributes to these moments. It’s very special.”

Team-mate Sol Scott won bronze in the vault.

Fraser, who achieved two top-five finishes at the 2024 Olympics, said: “Having a break after Paris has given me a lot of perspective.

“Opening my own gym and having a baby daughter on the way all adds to that and has definitely helped my gymnastics.

“I’m just really happy and excited to get out there with the team tomorrow for the big one in the team final.”

Cyprus’ Marios Georgiou took silver in the high bar with a score of 14.2, and Savelii Sieedin – born in Russia but competing as a neutral athlete – won bronze with 14.066.

In the parallel bars Fraser scored 14.3. Croatia’s Illia Kovtun took gold with 14.7 and Turkey’s Ferhat Arican silver with 14.433.

Competing at his first major championship, 19-year-old Sol scored 14.199 to finish third in the vault.

“I’m just so happy. I can’t believe it, I really didn’t expect this,” he said.

“Moving up to senior European is a big step, but the team and support team have really helped me and it’s been an incredible experience.”

Ukraine’s Nazar Chepurnyi won gold with 14.566, while neutral athlete Aleksei Usachev claimed silver with 14.399.

The team final is live on BBC Two on Sunday from 12.45-17.00 BST.