Bo Nickal refused to wrestle Yoel Romero at RAF 5 due to Romero’s seven-pound weight miss, emphasizing the importance of weight compliance in professional sports despite criticism from some fans and competitors.
Bo Nickal has a message for the critics after the RAF 5 incident: you don’t know ball.
Last weekend, Nickal was set to face Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero at RAF 5. It was a highly anticipated match. But, on Saturday morning, Romero missed weight by seven pounds, weighing in at 212 for their 205-pound bout. Nickal decided not to wrestle him and later explained his decision to Ariel Helwani.
“It was tough,” Nickal admitted. “I was in Florida with family and friends, ready to compete. Saturday morning, I weighed in at 205. Yoel was late, and when he finally stepped on the scale, he was 212. Seven pounds over.”
Nickal felt it was best to move on. “Part of wrestling is making weight,” he said. “In any other tournament, you miss weight, you don’t compete. It’s about respecting the sport.”
Romero ended up wrestling Stephen Buchanan, losing by tech fall, while Nickal withdrew. Some fans criticized Nickal, but he brushed it off.
“Most critics have never competed at a high level,” Nickal said. “Every peer I spoke to was shocked I even considered it. You don’t make weight, you don’t wrestle.”
It was a tough call for Nickal, especially with the time and effort invested. “People want to see me compete, but this is a professional event. I came in professional; he didn’t.”
Nickal remains the RAF light heavyweight champion. Despite the situation, Romero still holds a big name in RAF.
There’s speculation about a future match, but Nickal doubts it. “I don’t think he can make the weight,” he stated. “I’m already making concessions. He should compete at heavyweight.”
Still, Nickal expressed interest in training with Romero. “I’d love to work with him, but this isn’t a charity match. It’s professional sports.”