LAS VEGAS – Critics have understandably doubted what Rolando “Rolly” Romero has done to deserve a 140-pound title shot.
The 28-year-old Romero has boxed above the lightweight limit of 135 pounds, but never against anyone resembling a contender. The North Las Vegas native campaigned as a lightweight when he won what were officially super lightweight bouts and won’t make his debut as a full-fledged 140-pounder until he meets Ismael Barroso in their “Showtime Championship Boxing” main event Saturday night.
Romero (14-1, 12 KOs) also lost his most recent fight to rival Gervonta Davis. Baltimore’s Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) knocked him out in the sixth round of their lightweight fight last May 28 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
When asked during a press conference Thursday why he has been afforded an opportunity to fight for the vacant WBA super lightweight title when he boxes Barroso, a smiling Romero replied, “I mean, I get special privileges. That’s all I could say. When you look as good as me, I mean, you get as many privileges as you want.”
Barroso, 40, looked at least old enough to be Romero’s father as they sat side-by-side on a stage Thursday at The Cosmopolitan. The Venezuelan veteran hasn’t enjoyed any such special privileges, either.
Barroso (24-3-2, 22 KOs) has been waiting for this title shot since he upset Canada’s Yves Ulysse Jr. (then 18-1) by unanimous decision in their 12-round WBA elimination match in December 2019 at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, California.
The former WBA interim lightweight champion was supposed to fight on the non-televised portion of this Premier Boxing Champions undercard Saturday night. Barroso replaced Alberto Puello as Romero’s opponent last month after Puello tested positive for clemophine, a performance-enhancing drug.
The WBA has downgraded Puello’s status to its 140-pound champion in recess while it awaits the result of Puello’s B sample submitted to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. If it also comes back positive for clemophine, Puello likely will be stripped of the WBA super lightweight title.
Barroso, a hard-hitting southpaw, has drawn motivation from media and fans who’ve stated that he deserves this title shot even less than Romero.
“I don’t feel any disrespect from Rolly,” Barroso told BoxingScene.com after the press conference. “Rolly isn’t the one underestimating me. It seems that people in the media and outside the ring are the ones underestimating me. I just wanna show that I work hard and I deserve this opportunity. I’m gonna show you why on Saturday night.”
Barroso has won four fights in a row, but he lost three of his previous four fights, including back-to-back losses to Russia’s Isa Chaniev and Uzbekistan’s Batyr Akhmedov in 2018. Akhmedov (9-2, 8 KOs), who knocked out Barroso in the ninth round of their August 2018 bout in Los Angeles, will fight Chicago’s Kenneth Sims Jr. (19-2-1, 7 KOs) in a 12-round WBA 140-pound eliminator that will open Showtime’s telecast Saturday night (9 p.m. EDT; 6 p.m. PDT).
Akhmedov lost a 12-round split decision to Puello in his last fight. The Dominican Republic’s Puello (21-0, 10 KOs) won the WBA super lightweight title that Josh Taylor vacated by beating Akhmedov on August 20 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Akhmedov claimed during the press conference Thursday that he should be one of the contenders competing for the WBA belt Saturday night. Barroso wasn’t about to apologize, however, for finally getting a title shot he believes he earned almost 3½ years ago.
“Look, I’m still the number one contender,” Barroso said. “I got the opportunity that I deserve. The other ones that were left behind because of Rolly’s chance to be here, it’s their problem, not mine. I’m ready to fight and, God willing, put up a great fight. Rolly earned his shot, just like anybody else would. He’s taking advantage of it, so good for him.”
A respectful Romero, who most sportsbooks list as a 10-1 favorite, contended that he wound up with a more imposing opponent than Puello, who is 12 years younger than Barroso.
“I actually think Barroso’s a much better fighter than Puello because he can actually crack,” Romero said. “I mean, anytime you’re in a fight with a puncher it’s gonna be difficult, you know?”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.