After Leigh Wood vacated his WBA Featherweight Title, the United Kingdom is left with just four active world champions – but one fighter could moves a step closer to changing that on the undercard of Ryan Garcia-Oscar Duarte.
Rolando Romero won the WBA Super-Lightweight Title in controversial fashion, defeating Ismael Barroso by an official ninth-round stoppage that was widely regarded as extremely soft whilst behind on all three cards.
Despite suggestions that the brash American would be stripped as champion after suffering an injury, it seems that he will retain the belt and be forced to face an Interim Champion next year.
A typo on the WBA’s website led fans to believe that Ohara Davies would be fighting Barroso for the full world title after the latter’s misfortune against Romero, but the sanctioning body has announced that the pair will battle for the interim for now.
“WBA 140 title is not vacant, belongs to Rolando Romero ,who is injured and in recess.
O. Davies and I. Barroso will box for the interim title. There was a publication error in the website. It will be corrected in the next hours due to technical issues”
*Notification*: WBA 140 title is not vacant, belongs to Rolando Romero (@SignUp4KOs),who is injured and in recess
O. Davies and I. Barroso will box for the interim title
There was a publication error in the website. It will be corrected in the next hours due to technical issues
— WBA Boxing (@WBABoxing) November 2, 2023
Former British Lightweight Champion Davies has seen a resurgence in his career of late, stringing together seven straight victories after losing to Jack Catterall in 2018.
Last time out, the 31-year-old dominated Lewis Ritson in what was originally perceived to be a 50/50 fight, securing a technical-knockout in the ninth-round to move into title contention.
In one of boxing’s hottest divisions, two more wins for the Hackney-born 140lber could land him a mega-fight against stars such as Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia or Regis Prograis by the end of next year.
First he must defeat the rugged Barroso on December 2 on the high-profile card.
