LAS VEGAS – Rolando “Rolly” Romero is thankful that the performance-enhancing drug testing process served its purpose prior to his fight Saturday night.
Otherwise, Romero would’ve faced an opponent, Alberto Puello, who would’ve benefited from a banned substance in their 12-round fight for Puello’s WBA super lightweight title. Romero instead will box Venezuelan veteran Ismael Barroso for the vacant WBA 140-pound championship in a “Showtime Championship Boxing” main event at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (9 p.m. EDT: 6 p.m. PDT).
Romero ripped Puello for testing positive for clomiphene in tests administered by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association last month.
“I’m disappointed I don’t get to whup his ass,” Romero told BoxingScene.com. “But more than anything, I’m happy that he got caught. That’s what he gets for being a piece of sh!t.”
The WBA has changed Puello’s status to champion in recess. The 28-year-old Dominican southpaw will be stripped by the WBA if his B sample submitted to VADA comes back positive for clomiphene, which usually is prescribed to women with fertility issues.
Male athletes have used clomiphene for performance enhancement because it elevates testosterone levels in the body.
England’s Conor Benn tested positive for clomiphene prior to his high-profile fight against rival Chris Eubank Jr., which was canceled four days before it was supposed to take place October 8 at O2 Arena in London. Benn, an undefeated welterweight contender, has maintained his innocence throughout his PED ordeal.
“I know a lotta these people are on that sh!t,” Romero said. “I ain’t that kinda person [to name names], but a lot of these motherf—– on that sh!t. I think it’s f—— disgusting. It takes away from boxing being legit. It’s sad.”
Puello (21-0, 10 KOs) has a hearing regarding his temporary suspension scheduled for Wednesday with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Romero, meanwhile, is listed by most sportsbooks as a 10-1 favorite to beat Barroso.
The 40-year-old Barroso (24-3-2, 22 KOs) is the WBA’s number one-ranked, mandatory challenger in the 140-pound division. Romero (14-1, 12 KOs), of North Las Vegas, is ranked fifth by the WBA.
The Romero-Barroso bout will be immediately preceded by a 10-round, 143-pound co-feature in which Cuba’s Rances Barthelemy (29-2-1, 15 KOs, 1 NC) will meet Omar Juarez (14-1, 5 KOs), of Brownsville, Texas. Showtime’s three-bout broadcast will begin with a 12-round WBA 140-pound elimination match between Uzbekistan’s Batyr Akhmedov (9-2, 8 KOs) and Chicago’s Kenneth Sims Jr. (19-2-1, 7 KOs).
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.