Welterweight Gor Yeritsyan will face Jonathan Romero’s replacement tomorrow
Gor Yeritsyan works with Freddie Roach. Photo by Lina Baker / 360 Promotions
Gor Yeritsyan will face a new opponent on Saturday night.
The former welterweight belt will now face former world champion Jonathan Romero, promoter Tom Loeffler confirmed on The Ring on Thursday night. The eight-round fight will precede a big fight between undefeated featherweight Omar Trinidad and Hector Sosa.
Both fights will air live on UFC Fight Pass (9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT).
“It will be great to see Gor back in the ring for the first time after his controversial loss,” Loeffler told The Ring. “He is fighting for a former world champion. After watching him train with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, I think we’ll see an even stronger and more focused Gor in the ring.
“We’ll all see on Saturday night.”
Yeritsyan (18-1, 14 KOs), a native of Yerevan, Armenia and now living in Los Angeles, was scheduled to face Mylik Birdsong in a heavyweight welterweight bout, but Birdsong was shot and killed on September 29 .in a drive-by shooting in the Watts area of Los Angeles.
Oliver Quintana of Mexico was introduced as Yeritsyan’s opponent, but Quintana withdrew for undisclosed reasons about a week ago.
Yeritsyan last fought on July 26, losing by decision to Aram Amirkhanyan in a fight against an undefeated welterweight. In his last fight on February 23, Yeritsyan knocked out previously unbeaten Quinton Randall, winning a 10-round unanimous decision.
Yeritsyan, 29, has fought under 360 Boxing Promotions since June 9 last year. He has already defeated Gustavo Vittori and Rogelio Jun Doliguez.
Romero (35-5, 19 KOs) was stopped by junior welterweight champion Kenneth Sims, Jr. after the fifth round of his last fight on August 10. Romero stepped in at the last minute and reportedly held it on a day’s notice.
The 37-year-old returned from a 14-month hiatus on July 28 last year, losing by knockout to Abraham Nova, who was a junior lightweight contender. Less than six months later, Romero would lose by knockout to undefeated contender Albert Bell.
Romero, originally from Cali, Colombia, who now lives in Henderson, Nevada, won the vacant IBF junior featherweight title in February 2013, defeating Alejandro Lopez by split decision. He would lose the world title in his first defense six months later, losing by knockout to Kiko Martinez.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has handled boxing in Southern California and internationally since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. They can be reached at [email protected]
