LAS VEGAS – Nearly six months removed from his humbling, title-fight TKO loss to Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, Rolando “Rolly” Romero calls his defeat an “off night.”
“Just because I had an off night doesn’t mean shit,” Romero told BoxingScene on Thursday ahead of a news conference to tout his Saturday night return bout against Manuel Jaimes (16-1-1), which will open the pay-per-view portion of the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga card (Amazon Prime Video, PPV.com) at T-Mobile Arena.
Maintaining the confident swagger that defined his rise to become the WBA 140-pound titleholder, Romero (15-2, 13 KOs) said, “I don’t know anything about [Jaimes]. Nothing. To me, it’s just another night.”
Romero told emcee Ray Flores that he came to the news conference straight from bed while wearing a black robe with a white stripe.
“I always look regardless, but I’ve missed boxing, and I’m happy to be back,” Romero said.
Where has he been?
“Watching nothing but Bruce Lee movies,” Romero said.
Since Romero’s March loss, Cruz has also turned over his belt to new WBA 140-pound titleholder Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela.
So Romero says he’s not fretting over his ability to reunite with a belt next year.
“The belts, they come back. I mean, how many four-time champions are there?” Romero said. “You lose your belt, you move up, you get another belt. That’s normal. Clearly, I’m an elite-level fighter. I’m the hardest hitter in my weight class.”
Who does he want to fight in the reshaped division that counts Valenzuela, Alberto Puello, Liam Paro and Teofimo Lopez Jr. as champions?
“I have no interest in that right now,” Romero said. “Who knows? I might stay here, move up to 147, or move up to 154. I’m big.”
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