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UPDATE (7:30 pm ET): Some comments from Bobby Benton, who discovered the fault in the gloves, and promoter Lou DiBella:
I'm not sure who is at fault Reyes boxing gloves or team Roman but the gloves they sent had no padding in them at all. I will not let my fighters get cheated. Safety of the fighter is what they always say but its always the last thing enforced.@loudibella @OshaquieFoster pic.twitter.com/KrGPqRwb1G
— bobby benton (@bobcatjbc) November 19, 2020
I know that you don’t want promoters represented on site, @ringcityusa, so I’m counting on you to address and fix this for us. Health and safety is paramount and won’t be compromised. Thanks. #boxing #FosterRoman https://t.co/8nPLnttzx1
— Lou DiBella (@loudibella) November 19, 2020
Miguel Roman is set to fight tonight in the premiere event of NBC Sports Network’s Ring City USA series in California, but the 35-year-old veteran from Mexico was reportedly caught with illegal gloves ahead of his main event bout with O’Shaquie Foster.
The fight will still go on, it seems. Jonathan Leir spoke with Foster manager Keith Mills, who said that on inspection, Roman’s gloves had “no padding in the center,” and the California commission “threw out those gloves and the replacement gloves.” Fighters always have two pair of gloves approved for a bout in case something happens to the original set.
Just got off the phone with Keith Mills, @OshaquieFoster Manager.
— Jonathan Leir (@ringwalkjon) November 19, 2020
Last night @bobcatjbc inspected Miguel Romans gloves and found no padding in the center.
CSAC threw out those gloves and the replacement gloves and now Roman will wear Everlast gloves in the fight.@loudibella
Roman (62-13, 47 KO) is, again, still set to face Foster (17-2, 10 KO) in the 10-round junior lightweight main event from the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, at least as of now. The show will also feature William Zepeda (21-0, 19 KO) taking on Roberto Ramirez (23-2-1, 10 KO) in a 10-round lightweight fight, and if by chance — and perhaps good reason — Foster-Roman gets called off, there are potential fights to bump onto the televised broadcast, including one with 22-year-old junior lightweight prospect Rocky Hernandez (29-1, 26 KO), who suffered an upset loss in July 2019 and is looking to win his second straight tonight and get himself back in the conversation.
We will have live coverage of the show at 9 pm ET (click here), and no matter what happens ahead of time, the issue should be addressed on the broadcast.