By Dan Ambrose: WBA light welterweight champion Alberto Puello has reportedly tested positive for performance-enhancing substances, resulting in his scheduled May 13th title defense against #6 Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero being canceled.
Puello is expected to be stripped of his WBA belt. The World Boxing Association will make a determination on Puello’s case once they have all the information.
According to Mike Coppinger, Rolly (14-1, 12 KOs) will now face 40-year-old Ismael Barroso, possibly for the vacant WBA 140-lb title on May 13th, in the main event on Showtime. If Puello is stripped, Rolly and Barroso will battle for it.
Puello’s positive test gives the Mayweather-promoted Rolly Romero a golden opportunity to capture a world title he otherwise would have never won. It’s unclear why #6 Rolly would be getting the chance to fight for the WBA belt because it would make more sense for #1 Barroso to face one of these higher-ranked contenders:
2. Ohara Davies
3. Batyr Akhmedov
4. Jose Ramirez
5. Gary Antuanne Russell
It’s got to have those WBA-ranked contenders furious at seeing Rolly Romero get a chance to fight for a world title over them.
Rolly is backing into the title fight because he’s coming off of a sixth-round knockout loss to WBA ‘regular’ lightweight champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis last May, and he hasn’t fought since.
Some boxing fans have openly complained about Rolly getting a shot at a world title after losing to Tank eleven months ago. Still, he’s got a good situation with being promoted by Mayweather.
“Alberto Puello’s A-sample revealed an adverse finding for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene and its M1 and M2 metabolites, according to a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association letter,” said Mike Coppinger of ESPN.
“Puello was scheduled to defend his WBA junior welterweight title against Rolly Romero on May 13. That fight is now canceled.
“Romero is to remain in his PBC on Showtime headline slot on May 13 and could fight Ismael Barroso for the vacant title if Puello is indeed stripped.”
Puello didn’t have his WBA title for long, as he captured the vacant belt last August with a twelve-round split decision win over Batyr Akhmedov. If Puello had held onto it for a bit longer, he likely would have easily beaten Rolly and sent what’s left of his career down the drain.
