Former unified super bantamweight champion Danny Román will look to take one step closer to regaining his champion status against Ricardo Espinoza Franco on Showtime (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) this Saturday, May 15th in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The 31 year-old Román (27-3-1, 10 KOs) made his ring return after losing his unified titles in January 2020 last September, when he bested ex-118 pound title holder Juan Carlos Payano via unanimous decision. The Los Angeles native captured his first title with a 2017 stoppage of Shun Kubo, before unifying belts with a triumph over T.J. Doheny in 2019. He eventually lost the belts via decision against Murodjon Akhmadaliev. Here is what Román had to say about his training camp, his matchup Saturday and more:

 

On his recent training camp: “The final days of camp are wrapping up now before we head to the bubble. As always, the sparring we got was top notch. My coach Eddie González and I have relentlessly been working every day to get me in the best shape of my life. These last two months have been demanding, but I know all the hard work will all pay off on fight night.”

 

On fighting near his Southern California home: “Everyone knows Southern California is a breeding ground for boxers and the fans always show support for their hometown fighters. Showtime has had some tremendous fights showcased out here and I plan to keep that tradition going strong. I plan to put on an entertaining fight for the fans by being explosive with my effort.”

 

On his matchup with Ricardo Espinoza Franco: “This is not going to be an easy fight because I know my opponent is a tough fighter from Tijuana who is coming with everything he’s got. He’s got a lot of power, so I must be smart on how I throw my combinations. I believe my experience in big fights is going to be the difference on May 15. I’m expecting a rough fight and I’m ready for an intense battle.”

 

On his quest to become a champion once again:  “Everything I do in boxing from here on out is to regain my status as a world champion. I’ll do whatever it takes to put me back in that position. A victory on May 15th will get me one step closer to that goal. I know in my heart I will become a world champion once again.”