Rolando “Rolly” Romero Claims Upset Win Over Ryan Garcia

Rolando “Rolly” Romero is officially a disruptor

The 29-year-old Latino professional boxer pulled off a massive upset in Times Square on Friday of Ryan Garcia by unanimous decision (115-112, 115-112, 118-109).

Rolando "Rolly" RomeroIn the main event, Garcia’s return to boxing after a one-year suspension for failing a drug test after his April 2024 fight with Devin Haney was a disaster.

Garcia (24-2, 1 NC) entered the fight as a -1000 favorite on ESPN BET. However, he wasn’t able to uncork his trademark left hook or mount any significant offense in the 12-round affair.

Instead, Romero (17-2) set the tone early and dropped Garcia with a left hook in Round 2. Although Garcia didn’t appear hurt, the knockdown altered the course of the fight as he went from eager to timid for the rest of the fight. Neither fighter seemed to be interested in letting his hands go, with a combined 123 punches landed out of a total of 490 punches thrown. The output was the third-lowest in CompuBox history for a 12-round fight, even below the 503 punches Haney and Jose Ramirez combined to throw in the co-main event.

“He fought a good fight,” Garcia said afterward. “He caught me early. No excuses, man. Congrats to him. He did a great job, and that’s it.”

Garcia popped the jab, but Romero was patient and kept his distance. It was a surprising performance by Romero, who was two fights removed from being stopped by Isaac Cruz in 2024. Instead of recklessly rushing in, Romero was calm and steady in his approach.

Meanwhile, Garcia couldn’t shake the effects of the early knockdown and spent the duration of the bout looking for a fight-ending punch. He never found it and will now have to go back to the drawing board.

As for Romero, he might be the only person who wants to see a Garcia-Haney rematch despite emerging victorious Friday.

“I ain’t even thinking about what’s next,” Romero said. “I think Devin and Ryan should get their rematch and make a big one.”

The expectation was for Garcia and Romero to deliver fireworks and make the ringside judges’ scorecards unnecessary. Instead, the uninspired effort from Garcia capped off a listless night of fights against the backdrop of Times Square, where a small group of invite-only fans gathered inside a makeshift area staging a boxing ring. On the outside of the venue, pedestrians milled about with many stopping to see what was happening in the enclosure on several screens set up on the outside.

Turki Al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia’s chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, planned to stage an iconic event, but the card will be remembered for a trio of fights that didn’t come close to delivering the action promised.

 

The main event followed an equally subpar effort by Haney, who was let off the hook by an opponent who was content simply following him around the ring. Haney appeared to be affected by his fight with Garcia last year when he was knocked down three times and lost a decision. The result was overturned to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug ostarine. Garcia also came in 3.2 pounds over the contracted weight of 140 pounds for that fight.

Haney (32-0, 1 NC) seemingly couldn’t shake off the effects of the fight and was timid and reluctant to throw punches. However, Ramirez couldn’t capitalize. He followed Haney around the ring without a true sense of urgency. Fortunately for Haney, he was skilled enough to thwart the advances of a plodding Ramirez (29-3) in a sluggish fight that was relentlessly jeered on social media.

Of the 503 punches thrown in the fight, Haney landed 70 to Ramirez’s 40.

Plans for a Garcia-Haney rematch might still be in place, as a contract was reportedly signed ahead of Friday night for a clash later this year. However, due to how their fights played out, it will be interesting to see if that bout materializes later this year or if Al-Sheikh decides to go in another direction for both fighters.

Ryan Garcia to Fight Rolando “Rolly” Romero This May After Suspension Lifted

Ryan Garcia is set to return to the ring…

The 26-year-old Mexican American boxer has been officially cleared to fight Rolando “Rolly” Romero.

Ryan GarciaThe New York State Athletic Commission had suspended Garcia for a failed drug test following his April 2024 decision win over Devin Haney. But just ahead of his May 2 fight with Romero in Times Square, NYSAC has officially lifted the suspension.

“The suspension has been lifted as all conditions of the Consent Order have been met,” a NYSAC spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN.

The victory was overturned to a no contest, and Garcia was suspended from competition for one year, hit with a $10,000 fine, and forced to forfeit his entire purse from the Haney fight after the banned substance Ostarine was found in samples collected by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). Haney filed a civil lawsuit against Garcia and received an undisclosed portion of Garcia’s purse.

Garcia spent the past year carrying out the conditions of the suspension, including submitting to randomized drug tests. Now clear of his suspension,

Garcia will headline the May 2 card against Romero while Haney will compete in the co-main event against Jose Ramirez Jr. with the expectation that a rematch between Garcia and Haney will take place later this year if both win their respective fights.

 

Ryan Garcia Knocks Down Devin Haney Three Times in Stunning Upset Win

Ryan Garcia has pulled off what’s being called “an upset for the ages.”

The 25-year-old Mexican American boxer, who had been labeled “mentally fragile” by many, proved the critics wrong by delivering a masterpiece in one of the most polarizing performances in recent memory, scoring three knockdowns of Devin Haney en route to a majority decision.

Ryan GarciaThe judges scored it 112-112, 114-110 and 115-109.

The WBC super lightweight title, which Haney held entering the fight, was no longer at stake as Garcia was 3.2 pounds over the 140-pound limit at Friday’s weigh-in. So Haney retains the belt despite the loss.

According to CompuBox, Haney was the more accurate puncher, but Garcia’s blows clearly had the most impact. Garcia landed 106 of 285 punches (37%) and Haney connected on 87 of 214 punches (41%).

Garcia had a tremendous first round, rocking Haney with a massive left hook. Haney immediately clinched to fend off Garcia’s attack. For the rest of the frame, Haney appeared slightly gun-shy but kept Garcia at bay with his left jab, one of the best in boxing.

Haney, who previously held the undisputed lightweight world title, struck first in the second round, connecting with a stiff left jab that reddened Garcia’s nose. With less than a minute remaining, Haney went downstairs with the jab as Garcia looked for counter opportunities. Referee Harvey Dock warned Garcia twice for hitting Haney behind the head twice in the second.

Haney landed the first significant punch of the third round, an overhand right. As the clock approached the two-minute mark, Garcia missed with a big left hook.

With 50 seconds left in the third, Garcia dropped his right hand, and Haney made him pay with a crisp left hook that forced his longtime rival to pound his gloves in frustration.

Haney connected with a left hook with 1:47 remaining in the fourth round as Garcia attempted to use the shoulder roll. Garcia followed up with a right hand, but it didn’t have much mustard. Haney kept Garcia on the back foot for the rest of the round, connecting with jabs to the body.

The fifth round started slow until Haney connected with a pull counter right with just under two minutes on the clock. Midway through the round, Haney caught Garcia with a jab that froze him in his tracks. Haney continued dictating the action down the stretch, catching Garcia with a right cross.

The action got a little sloppy in the sixth. Garcia connected with a hard right hand and attempted to smother Haney, following up with a barrage of shots, but most of them missed. Later in the round, Haney was warned for hitting Garcia to the back, although Garcia was the one who had turned his back.

The tables turned in the seventh round when Garcia knocked Haney down with a brutal left hook. Garcia went for the kill but ended up costing himself a point when he hit Haney with a sharp right hand when Dock called for a break. An exhausted Haney went down twice more in the round, but Dock ruled them both slips.

Garcia continued to look for the knockout blow in the eighth, but Dock continuously got in between the fighters, angering the crowd, who wished to see more action.

Haney tried to muster up some offense with his right hand, but they lacked the zip from before the knockdown.

Haney connected with a pair of left hooks that had Garcia against the ropes with 45 seconds to go in the ninth. However, Garcia caught Haney with a right uppercut moments later to keep him honest. Haney followed up with a barrage of rights to the body when Garcia turned his back.

Garcia dropped Haney with a massive right-left combination in the 10th round for the second knockdown. Haney beat the count, but Garcia jumped back on him again and staggered him with another left hand.

In the 11th round, Garcia measured Haney, looking to land another explosive shot. He rocked Haney again, first with the right and again with the left for a third knockdown, as chants of “Ry-an! Ry-an!” rained from the crowd.

Garcia cruised to the finish, taunting his longtime rival, sticking his tongue out at Haney, and danced to the final bell.

The world questioned whether he was crazy, but Garcia made those who questioned his readiness seem like the crazy ones.

Arnold Barboza Jr. Defeats Sean McComb in Controversial Split-Decision

Arnold Barboza Jr. has pulled out the win…

The 32-year-old Latino American boxer was awarded a controversial split-decision victory over Sean McComb on Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Arnold Barboza Jr., Barboza, who had been on standby to replace Ryan Garcia in the main event, consistently struggled with McComb’s height, reach and southpaw stance – and to the extent that there is little question a fight between he and Haney would have proved a significant mismatch.

He was awarded scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 92-98 at the conclusion of their 10 rounds at super lightweight, but the third score, in McComb’s favor, was perhaps the most accurate of the three, contributing to loud boos from the crowd.

Barboza (30-0, 11 KOs) wasted time attempting to get inside against McComb (18-2, 5 KOs), and largely because McComb’s inability to hurt him meant he was unconcerned about the extent to which the Northern Irishman was landing.

The seventh round was McComb’s strongest, on account of his increased aggression and his success in repeatedly landing. But after hearing the scores announced, he may have regretted the extent to which his work rate dropped in the eighth and ninth.

As they went down the stretch, boos rained down from the crowd, but McComb could care less as this was clearly his night.

Ultimately, the judges thought otherwise, as Barboza was awarded a controversial split decision victory.

David Jimenez Defeats John Ramirez via Unanimous Decision to Earn Interim WBA Super Flyweight Title

David Jimenez is celebrating a title-clinching performance…

The 32-year-old Costa Rican professional boxer earned a unanimous decision victory over John Ramirez on the undercard of the Devin HaneyRyan Garcia headliner on Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

David Jimenez,

Jimenez (13-1, 9 KOs) consistently outworked his super flyweight rival to deservedly earn scores of 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112, imposing himself on the inside, repeatedly targeting Ramirez’s body and undermining Ramirez’s attempts to fight at range and prioritize his jab.

The eighth round was particularly damaging for Ramirez (16-1, 11 KOs), because of the consistent punishment he was forced to absorb, and to the extent he was forced to attempt to hold.

With the win, Jimenez earned the interim WBA title.

In the post fight interview, Jimenez stated he will talk to his team regarding his next move but wants to fight for a title.

Rolly Romero to Defend WBA 140-Pound Title Against Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in March

Rolly Romero is going on the defensive…

The 29-year-old Latino boxer has finalized a deal to defend his WBA 140-pound title against Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz on March 30 in Las Vegas, sources tell ESPN.

Rolly RomeroRomero-Cruz will serve as the co-feature to Tim TszyuKeith Thurman, Premier Boxing Champions‘ first PPV as part of its new deal with Amazon‘s Prime Video.

The development comes after Ryan Garcia claimed Wednesday evening on social media that he was fighting Romero on April 20. On Thursday morning after ESPN broke the news of Romero-Cruz, Garcia posted on X that he was “informed the deal was finalizing and it would be announced in the coming days.”

“Obviously that was a lie,” Garcia wrote. “My patience has been tested the last few weeks. … I’ll be looking forward to announcing my next fight. I’m not going to say anything until it’s actually signed and delivered.”

Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) is one of the most outspoken fighters in boxing. He won the title in controversial fashion with a ninth-round TKO victory over Ismael Barroso in May. Barroso dropped Romero in Round 3 and didn’t appear to be in serious trouble when the referee stopped the bout.

Romero, who fights out of Las Vegas, suffered his lone professional defeat in May 2022, a sixth-round TKO defeat to Gervonta Davis.

Cruz (25-2, 17 KOs) will move up to 140 pounds for his first full-fledged title shot. He challenged Davis for a secondary lightweight title in December 2021 and dropped a tightly contested decision.

The Mexico City native has won three bouts since the loss, victories over Yuriorkis Gamboa (TKO 5), Eduardo Ramirez (KO 2) and Giovanni Cabrera (split decision). Cruz hasn’t competed since the win over Cabrera in July.

Ryan Garcia Delivers Eighth-Round Knockout of Oscar Duarte

Ryan Garcia has bounced back with a vengeance…

In his first fight with Derrick James as his trainer, the 25-year-old Mexican American boxer delivered a stunning eighth-round knockout of Oscar Duarte at Toyota Arena in Houston and live on DAZN.

Ryan GarciaGarcia’s stellar return to the ring on Saturday night comes after suffering his lone loss this past April.

Just when it looked like the pressure-fighting Duarte was gaining momentum, Garcia turned the tide in a flash with a left hook to the temple that put Duarte on jelly legs. Sensing he had Duarte hurt, Garcia smothered him with punches, including a right hook and uppercut, forcing Duarte to drop to a knee.

Duarte would rise off the canvas after the count of nine, though the referee stopped the fight right then and there, rewarding Garcia (24-1) with his 20th pro knockout.

“I fought hard to find myself again and I did a lot of soul-searching,” Garcia told DAZN’s Chris Mannix about returning to the ring since falling to Gervonta Davis by seventh-round KO nearly eight months back.

Garcia entered the fight flashing his quicker hand speed, though he seemed to respect the power of the heavy-handed Duarte. Toward the second half of the fight, Garcia noticeably resorted to the shoulder roll more, while moving around the ring enough to draw boos from the Texas crowd.

That hook to the temple ended any criticism of “King Ry” on the night as he positions himself to go after a 140-pound world title next, having these words for WBA titleholder Rolando “Rolly” Romero.

“I’m committing to becoming a world champion,” Garcia told DAZN. “If Rollys wants that, bring it on, Rollys.”

Ryan Garcia to Fight Oscar Duarte in December Junior Welterweight Bout

Ryan Garcia is heading back to the mat…

The 25-year-old Mexican American boxing star will return to the ring in a junior welterweight fight against Oscar Duarte on December 2 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya has announced.

Ryan GarciaThe fight will be streamed on DAZN, and it comes one week before Devin Haney challenges Regis Prograis for the WBC junior welterweight title on DAZN PPV.

Garcia will be competing for the first time since he was TKO‘d by Gervonta Davis — the first loss of Garcia’s pro career — in the seventh round of their April fight.

That bout took place at a 136-pound catchweight, but Garcia (23-1, 19 KOs) now will campaign at 140 pounds, the same category as his last two fights before the “Tank” Davis bout took place.

The matchup with Duarte will also be Garcia’s first with Derrick James, who was ESPN‘s 2022 Trainer of the Year, leading his corner.

“Here you have a guy [Duarte] who’s coming off 11 KOs in a row,” De Le Hoya said. “There’s a guy who’s a power puncher who’s going to come forward and make Ryan fight. It’s the proper fight after a knockout loss to Gervonta.”

Garcia, who fights out of Southern California, is still seeking his first world title.

Later this month, he’ll enter mediation with Golden Boy Promotions as the sides attempt to resolve a dispute. Among the issues: Garcia claims his promotional deal to compete on pay-per-view platforms besides DAZN wasn’t honored.

According to Garcia’s demand letter sent to Golden Boy in June, the fighter was advised that his April superfight against Davis “could not happen unless it was broadcast on DAZN because of an exclusive agreement Golden Boy had separately negotiated with DAZN.”

The PPV fight against Davis was broadcast by Showtime — a broadcast partner of PBC (Davis’ promoter). DAZN also carried the fight on its streaming service and was paid a $1.25 million fee to step aside as the exclusive broadcaster, of which $120,000 Garcia personally paid to DAZN, per the letter.

Despite the disagreement and pending mediation, Garcia and De La Hoya were able to finalize this fight against Duarte to keep Garcia’s career moving.

“It’s business as usual,” De La Hoya told ESPN last month. “We have a couple of pending issues that should not impede any type of progress moving forward. I truly feel that we’re going to get this behind us and then move on with his career.”

Duarte, meanwhile, presents a chance for Garcia to bounce back from his first career loss and build some momentum heading into a pivotal 2024. Duarte (26-1-1, 21 KOs) has won 11 fights since his only career loss, all by KO.

The 27-year-old Mexican fighter, who competes at 135 pounds, will make a major jump in class for the Garcia bout.

Garcia’s career-best win remains a seventh-round TKO of Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell in January 2021, when Garcia survived a knockdown.

With an impressive showing over Duarte, Garcia appears poised for more marquee fights after the big business he delivered with Davis in April. Garcia said on social media that he earned $30 million for that fight.

“We’re looking to do a major, major fight with Ryan, possibly around Super Bowl weekend,” De La Hoya said. “I would love to talk to Bob [Arum] to see what’s going on with him and Teofimo [Lopez], but there’s other options as well.”

Ryan Garcia Training with Derrick James Ahead of 140-Pound Title Campaign

Ryan Garcia has a new trainer…

The 24-year-old Mexican American star boxer will train with Derrick James in Dallas ahead of his campaign for a 140-pound title, Garcia announced on social media.

Ryan GarciaGarcia presented James as his trainer on Instagram, where he boasts 10.4 million followers. Garcia had parted ways with trainer Joe Goossen following a seventh-round KO loss to Gervonta Davis last month in Las Vegas.

That superfight, which netted $22.8 million in ticket sales, was contested at a 136-pound catchweight, but Garcia (23-1, 19 KOs), ESPN’s No. 6 boxer at 140 pounds, will compete at junior welterweight going forward.

“I’m searching for greatness,” Garcia told ESPN. “I’m looking to improve. I’m looking to be a champion with Derrick James. I feel he can guide me and mentor me.”

James is ESPN’s reigning Trainer of the Year. In 2022, the former boxer guided Errol Spence Jr. and Jermell Charlo to unification title wins, as Spence added a third welterweight title while Charlo became the undisputed junior middleweight champion.

Earlier this year, James began working with former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, and now the trainer has added a fourth marquee fighter to the mix. James is known for perfecting power punchers, so it’s a natural fit with the heavy-handed Garcia.

Garcia first teamed with Goossen as an amateur boxer in Southern California. Garcia was trained by his father, Henry, for many of his pro fights, but Eddy Reynoso took control of the corner in 2018.

Reynoso, Canelo Alvarez‘s longtime trainer, guided Garcia to five wins in five bouts, including his seventh-round TKO of Luke Campbell in January 2021. Following that career-best victory, Garcia was out of the ring for 15 months while he addressed his mental health and recovered from wrist surgery.

When Garcia returned in April 2022, there was a familiar face in his corner alongside his father: Goossen. Goossen, 69, trained Garcia for three fights: a decision win over Emmanuel Tagoe in April 2022, a sixth-round KO of Javier Fortuna in July and, finally, the loss to Davis.

Fight Between Ryan Garcia & Gervonta Davis Officially Confirmed

It’s official… Ryan Garcia will battle Gervonta Davis.

The 136-pound catchweight fight between 24-year-old Mexican American boxer and Davis is now finalized.

Ryan GarciaBoth boxers announced on social media that they’ll meet April 22 in Las Vegas.

Finalizing the broadcast agreement between Showtime and DAZN was all that was left, and that’s now been done. The fight will be broadcast on Showtime PPV.

The fight had been planned for April 15, but was pushed back one week to allow more time for promotion as negotiations dragged out, sources said.

The fight between the two stars is perhaps the biggest commercial event boxing can deliver. A dispute over the rematch clause had threatened to derail the fight, but that issue was resolved earlier this month after PBC agreed that Golden Boy would serve as the lead promoter for a second bout if Garcia wins.

Only Davis can exercise the rematch clause in the event he loses, per sources.

Typically, boxers have 30 days to activate their right to an immediate return bout.

Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) will earn slightly more for the first fight, according to sources, and is the betting favorite. Davis defeated Hector Luis Garcia last month via ninth-round TKO to keep the Ryan Garcia matchup intact.

Earlier this month, Davis pleaded guilty to four counts stemming from a hit-and-run crash in November 2020 in Baltimore that left four people injured, including a pregnant woman. Davis’ sentencing is set for May 5, which means any potential punishment won’t interfere with his ability to compete in April.

Davis was arraigned Thursday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in connection with a Dec. 27 misdemeanor domestic violence charge of battery causing bodily harm. His next hearing is set for March 31, per Broward County court records. Davis pleaded not guilty after allegedly hitting the mother of his 1-year-old daughter with a “closed-hand type slap,” according to police, who said she suffered a small abrasion on the inside of her upper lip. She asked the court to dismiss charges in an affidavit filed Jan. 24.

Both Davis and Garcia announced on Instagram in mid-November that they would meet in a long-awaited fight in 2023, but it took months to reach an agreement on terms.

Davis, a 28-year-old from Baltimore, is one of the biggest needle-movers in boxing. “Tank” has 4.2 million Instagram followers and routinely fights before a host of celebrities. ESPN’s No. 3 lightweight, Davis won a junior lightweight title with a seventh-round KO of Jose Pedraza in 2017.

Before he defeated Hector Luis Garcia, Davis scored wins over Isaac Cruz and Rolly Romero in 135-pound bouts.

Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) is a star, too, with over 9 million followers on Instagram.

Regarded for his lightning-quick hands, he scored a career-best win in January 2021 after he survived a knockdown to stop Luke Campbell in the seventh round. He didn’t fight for the rest of 2021 after he withdrew from a bout with Javier Fortuna to address his mental health followed by wrist surgery that scrapped a match with Joseph Diaz Jr. Garcia, who fights out of Southern California, returned last year with wins over Emmanuel Tagoe and  Fortuna at 140 pounds. Garcia, who formerly campaigned at 135 pounds, vowed to remain at 140 but will drop four pounds for the catchweight bout.

Garcia had been set to fight Mercito Gesta in January, but bypassed the planned tuneup bout to head directly into the high-stakes showdown with Davis.