Junior featherweight Angel Barrientes is now rated No.15 by the WBA, but hopes one day to fight Naoya Inoue, the man he calls the best fighter in the world.
Barrientes faces Jorge De Jesus Romero Friday at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida, in his first 10-round bout of his career. The bout will stream on DAZN.
Barrientes, 13-1 (8 KOs), turned professional in 2019 and is looking to prove that he is among the best in his division. He enters with a 10-fight win streak after a shocking loss in his fourth professional bout. Barrientes, 22, spent the entire camp training alongside WBC welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios as he prepared for his pay-per-view fight against Manny Pacquiao. Yet, it is undisputed champion in his division who serves as motivation for Barrientes.
“Inoue is the best fighter in the world. He’s the champion,” Barrientes told BoxingScene. “So, the ultimate goal is to get in the ring with him.”
“We go hard in the gym, and I’ve been pushing myself against all the top fighters that train with us,” Barrientes said. “The preparation is still the same, it’s 24/7 boxing. At this point in my career, I have to take it to the next level.”
In two of his last three wins, Barrientes, who is promoted by BoxLab Promotions, has recorded stoppage victories, and will be fighting for the second time in 2025. Romero, 23-1-1 (14 KOs), is a Cuban boxer who now trains in Miami and the 31-year-old is coming off a two-year layoff - his last fight was a unanimous decision loss to Leonardo Carrillo. Since May 2024, Romero has competed in Team Combat League (a team-based boxing league) to stay active, but has not had a professional bout.
“I’m right there, with a few more wins against top-level guys. I’ll be in a better position,” Barrientes said. “I feel I have the height and reach advantage over a lot of the fighters in my division, so that is something I will use to my advantage.
“I’m expecting a very tough fight, being that he’s coming off is first loss. Being that he’s an older fighter, I know he’s got a lot of strength. Romero, like all fighters at this level, is dangerous, but beatable.”
