Rolando Romero vs. Ismael Barroso Preview and Free Pick

Last Updated on May 10, 2023 9:02 pm by Erwin Noguera

It is not the fight that we were expecting, but this May 13 Rolando Romero and Ismael Barroso will battle for the super lightweight title of the World Boxing Association (WBA) in Las Vegas, United States.

The fight was initially agreed for the Dominican Alberto Puello, champion of the category, to defend his title against Romero, however, Puello was sanctioned.

“The WBA declared Alberto Puello as champion in recess, after he tested positive for a banned substance, according to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA)”

WBA Boxing on Twitter

The organization announced in a statement on its social media.

Because of this, it was decided to change the fight and announce the disputed title: “The fight between Rolando Romero and Ismael Barroso, will be for the WBA Super Lightweight vacant title,” they said in the same statement.

When: 

Saturday, May 13 at 9:00 pm ET at the Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas, United States

Ring Walks:

(Estimated) 11:00 PM ET

Moneyline odds: 

Rolando Romero -1000 

Ismael Barroso +650

Where To Watch: 

Showtime

Why bet on Rolando Romero?

Rolando Romero was selected, in the first instance, to fight Alberto Puello for the title, so he is mentally better prepared than his rival. “Rolly” fought for the last time on May 28 of last year, and lost to Gervonta Davis by technical knockout in the sixth round, for the WBA lightweight title. That was the first loss for the American, who before that had 14 wins and 12 by TKO.

The 27-year-old boxer returns to his home, Nevada, after 4 fights in other US states. Romero already knows what it’s like to be a champion after he won the WBA interim lightweight title by unanimous decision over Jackson Maríñez in August 2020, which he lost to Davis last year.

“Rolly” recently declared that he is one of the most entertaining boxers to watch today and that is why he receives world title fights. As usual, he will seek to provoke his opponent by trash-talk and wants to take advantage of his strong blows with both fists to knock out his rival as soon as possible.

Why bet on Ismael Barroso?

After a surprise, almost last-minute call-up to replace Albert Puello, Ismael Barroso is ready to fight for the WBA super lightweight title. The 40-year-old Venezuelan assures that his age is not an impediment and hopes that the experience gained over the years will play in his favor.

Barroso, who has been a professional since 2005, was the WBA interim lightweight champion in 2015 after beating Kevin Mitchell, a year before Rolando Romero’s debut.

The Venezuelan’s record is 24 wins (22 by TKO), 3 losses, and 2 draws. His last fight was on August 20 of last year and he beat David Saucedo by knockout in the 4th round. He has 4 wins in a row with 3 knockouts and 1 unanimous decision. He has not fought for 12 rounds since December 5, 2019, when he faced Yves Ulysse Jr. and defeated him by unanimous decision to win the WBA Gold super lightweight title.

Final Betting Analysis – Rolando Romero vs. Ismael Barroso

At MyBookie.ag we find that Rolando Romero is the favorite of the match with a Moneyline of -1000, while Ismael Barroso has +650.

Rolando Romero is a heavy favorite in the fight for this title for two big reasons: he was the one who was going to fight for this title from the beginning and the age. Ismael Barroso found himself faced with an incredible opportunity at the end of his career, however, his desire will not be enough and he will probably be knocked out.

Go for a straight win for Rolando Romero in the Moneyline. If you bet $100 on the win at -1000, you will gain $10 for a total payout of $110.