By Matt Lieberman: Power punching Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero wasn’t interested in taking any cheap shots by criticizing his older opponent Ismael Barroro on Thursday during their final press conference for this Saturday, May 13th, the battle for the vacant WBA light welterweight title on Showtime at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Rolly (14-1, 12 KOs) showed class, respecting the sunglass-wearing 40-year-old Barroso (24-3-2, 22 KOs) today as they talked about their fight for Saturday night.
The 27-year-old Rolly is being given a golden opportunity to capture the WBA 140-lb world title, held until recently by Alberto Puello.
That gentleman tested positive for a banned substance, and he’s been downgraded by the World Boxing Association to ‘Champion in Recess. If Puello’s B-sample tests negative, he can hold onto his title, but for now, Rolly and Barroso will fight for the belt this Saturday night.
“Floyd fought how many people? He beat the s**t out of Canelo, and he was like 38 or 39. If you take yourself in boxing, you’ll go a long way,” said Rolly Romero to Fighthype when told by the interviewer that Ismael Barroso looked 56 years old today during the final press conference.
“Bernard Hopkins was world champion at 49. He’s [Barroso] is an older man. I’m not going to disrespect him, and he’s not here to disrespect me. I got to be grateful for him because if not for him, I wouldn’t be here now, and that’s the truth. We wouldn’t be having this show right now.
“140 is a boring a** division. We’re going to make this popping and turn this into a PPV division. We’re going to make it the most fun in boxing. I got bigger plans. Every other belt holder, I’m going to go after them, but like I said, I got other things on my mind that I think y’all will like way more and be better for boxing.
“Not with Teofimo. He’s my little brother. He’s family. My and Teo are never going to fight unless there’s $100 million there because then if he don’t fight me, he don’t like me.
“There’s definitely the Ryan Garcia fight. Everybody is asking for me vs. Ryan right now, especially at 140. We’re both at 140 now. I think that’s the fight. I think that’s the massive fight, and boxing needs that fight.
“It has a long build-up, a long. Leave Adrien Broner alone. Adrien Broner is one of my favorite fighters of all time, and I genuinely say that from my heart.
“We’re not villains, but we’re not liars like everybody else. When things come to our mind, we say that s**t. We don’t have to lie. Like everybody else, they act like they’re good people. We’re straight up about everything.
“We’re not even bad people. We’re just s**t talkers. We like talking s**t. That’s our entertainment. Some people take that too personally, and some people are too sensitive, and to them, they could continue to be hurt,” said Rolly.
