ROLLY ROMERO-RYAN GARCIA REMATCH NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY; GARCIA PREDICTS STOPPAGE WITH HEALTHY HANDS
Ryan Garcia’s performance against Rolando Romero during a unanimous-decision defeat in May has been one of the most surprising results of the year.
The pre-fight buildup suggested that the heavily favored Garcia would knock out the tailor-made Romero and move on to a much-discussed rematch against Devin Haney. Those plans went up in smoke in a hurry.
Afterward, Garcia underwent surgery on his right hand for the second time in four years. As he readies for his rebound, Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs, 1 NC) is adamant he’ll have his way with Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) should a sequel be in store.
“The fight I am most interested in is me getting my rematch against Rolando Romero,” Garcia told The Ring.
Garcia's and Romero’s camps have already kicked off negotiations and are in advanced talks for a rematch to take place as early as December, The Ring has learned, according to a source with direct knowledge of the discussions.
“That just wasn’t me that night," Garcia said. “I had hand problems on both of my hands, coming off a one-year layoff, and a weird training camp, training just four weeks with Derrick James, and fighting in front of a small crowd. I had a severely swollen knuckle on my left hand going in, two weeks before the fight. Anything I did flared it up. I was basically fighting with no hands, and that’s why you saw me barely throw any punches.
“It was the first time that’s ever happened in any of my fights. It was hard for me to accept during the fight. I cried after the fight not because I lost, but because I was defenseless. It sucks when you’re a competitor, and I was actually shocked Rolly was not attacking me. It was a weird night and just a mess all the way through.”
Outside of Romero’s second-round knockdown, their welterweight fight featured little action. At the time, their 490 combined punches thrown was the third fewest in a 12-round fight in CompuBox’s 40-year history of tracking fights. Garcia landed 66 punches and Romero connected with 57.
With healthy hands, Garcia envisions a much heavier offensive onslaught and a revised game plan to best his rival Romero.
“The rematch is going to come down to who sets the pace and makes the move,” said Garcia. “He never attacked me, and it’s always going to be a weird fight, and an awkward fight, because we both hit hard. I have a plan for him the next time, and I'll run him over with it and sink him in deep waters. Rolly doesn’t take pressure and punches really well. He doesn’t like fighting on the inside. You saw what happened to him against Isaac Cruz. A healthy version of me knocks out Rolly. It’s simple.”
Garcia also emphasized that he is remaining optimistic in recent months after seeing the rematch against Haney fall by the wayside. In addition to a fight against Romero, Garcia is also open to fights against Teofimo Lopez and Manny Pacquiao.
“Sometimes you need the wake-up call,” Garcia said. “It’s no secret that I have already battled through so many challenges that most of these fighters wouldn’t be able to last. I see the noise and the people bringing me down. But I will be back, and I am going to be so happy to prove everyone wrong. That’s what champions are made of.”
Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero II - Who wins?
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Ruthless-RKO
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Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero II - Who wins?
Last edited by Ruthless-RKO on 02 Mar 2026, 03:45, edited 1 time in total.
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robbydecker
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Re: Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero II - December 2025
I watched that one YouTube channel late last night. The one with Chris Mannix, Pauli Malagnaggi, and Chris Algeiri, and it seems that we're going to be having "Manny Pacqiou" versus "Rolly Romero" instead. 
Maybe Ryan should instead take on "Mario Barrios" then..?
Maybe Ryan should instead take on "Mario Barrios" then..?
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero II - December 2025
Rolly Romero is now full WBA champion.
Ennis vacated today.
Ennis vacated today.
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero II - who wins?
In Garcia's favour, Barrios is an easier fight and Handy offers more money. Rolly gets most money facing Garcia so he wants that fight rather than others which are high risk, low reward. No doubt they'll eventually fight again though.
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero II - Who wins?
Ryan Garcia wants Rolly Romero rematch, if Conor Benn talks fail
Conor Benn remains top of Ryan Garcia's hit list but isn't the only significant name available to the WBC welterweight champion.
Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) scored a points win over Regis Prograis on April 11, as the WBC's top-ranked welterweight contender steadily returns to the division after a two-fight series with Chris Eubank Jr at middleweight in 2025.
After watching that performance, Garcia expressed his desire to make a lucrative title defense against the Englishman, though no deal is in place at present. If that fight doesn't happen next, Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) would be happy to pivot to a familiar face in a title unification matchup against WBA beltholder Rolly Romero.
“That’s the backup,” Garcia told several reporters this week when asked about what's happening with his next fight. “If Conor don’t want it, then we’ll run it back with Rolly.”
Garcia would be seeking revenge against Romero, who dropped him en route to winning a clear decision last May. Garcia bounced back nicely by easily outpointing Mario Barrios to capture his first world title on February 21.
Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) was upgraded to full champion status in August after Jaron Ennis' move to junior middleweight was communicated to the sanctioning bodies, though he hasn't boxed since upsetting Garcia.
The 30-year-old, who has won world titles in two weight divisions, was left unhappy over failed negotiations with Benn and later Devin Haney, who dropped and outpointed Brian Norman to win the WBO title on November 22.
Shakhram Giyasov (17-0, 10 KOs) is Romero's mandatory challenger, though will now contest the sanctioning body's secondary title against Jack Catterall as part of the Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven undercard on May 23.
Now sitting in limbo trying to figure out his next move, the Las Vegas native will be assessing his options aware that a potential rematch also remains on the cards.
Conor Benn remains top of Ryan Garcia's hit list but isn't the only significant name available to the WBC welterweight champion.
Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) scored a points win over Regis Prograis on April 11, as the WBC's top-ranked welterweight contender steadily returns to the division after a two-fight series with Chris Eubank Jr at middleweight in 2025.
After watching that performance, Garcia expressed his desire to make a lucrative title defense against the Englishman, though no deal is in place at present. If that fight doesn't happen next, Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) would be happy to pivot to a familiar face in a title unification matchup against WBA beltholder Rolly Romero.
“That’s the backup,” Garcia told several reporters this week when asked about what's happening with his next fight. “If Conor don’t want it, then we’ll run it back with Rolly.”
Garcia would be seeking revenge against Romero, who dropped him en route to winning a clear decision last May. Garcia bounced back nicely by easily outpointing Mario Barrios to capture his first world title on February 21.
Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) was upgraded to full champion status in August after Jaron Ennis' move to junior middleweight was communicated to the sanctioning bodies, though he hasn't boxed since upsetting Garcia.
The 30-year-old, who has won world titles in two weight divisions, was left unhappy over failed negotiations with Benn and later Devin Haney, who dropped and outpointed Brian Norman to win the WBO title on November 22.
Shakhram Giyasov (17-0, 10 KOs) is Romero's mandatory challenger, though will now contest the sanctioning body's secondary title against Jack Catterall as part of the Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven undercard on May 23.
Now sitting in limbo trying to figure out his next move, the Las Vegas native will be assessing his options aware that a potential rematch also remains on the cards.
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero II - Who wins?
Devin Haney says rematch with Ryan Garcia is 'dream fight'
There’s no doubt about the one fight Devin Haney wants.
On Inside The Ring on Monday, the WBO welterweight champion put together a dream card and listed the rematch and unification bout against WBC titleholder Ryan Garcia as his “dream fight.” They first fought in April 2024, and Garcia won by majority decision, but the result was overturned to a no-contest after he failed multiple drug tests for the performance-enhancing drug Ostarine.
“I need that get back,” Haney said. “It was a tough experience for me, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I feel like it brought the best out of me [and] made me a better fighter. I was able to learn a lesson, and it not count on my record. I learned so much in that fight about myself.”
Haney, a three-division world champion and The Ring’s No. 8 fighter pound-for-pound, also listed Naoya Inoue vs. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, Dmitry Bivol vs. David Benavidez and Canelo Alvarez vs. Hamzah Sheeraz as the other fights on his dream card.
A potential rematch between Haney and Garcia has only been made bigger with their most recent victories. Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) won the WBO title with a dominant unanimous decision over previously undefeated Brian Norman on Nov. 22. Haney, 27, is The Ring’s No. 1 welterweight.
Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) won his first world title with a one-sided unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios. Garcia, 27, is No. 4 on The Ring’s welterweight rankings.
Haney and former two-division champion Teofimo Lopez praised Garcia’s ability in the ring and said he should be mentioned in the same conversation as them. Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs) added that Garcia’s popularity is a plus for boxing and adds to the opportunity for whoever faces him.
“I think in this time of modern day era, boxing right now, it's leaning towards that popularity,” Lopez said. “[It’s] leaning towards that engagement with fans. You see him on streams now, and everything of that nature. He's helping the sport evolve to a different point, and whoever faces him is going to gain that access.”
However, for Haney, popularity is the last thing on his mind.
“I want to fight the best fighters in the world and beat the best fighters in the world,” he said. “I want my name to live on, not because I was popular, [but] because I was great.
“I’m a great fighter.”
There’s no doubt about the one fight Devin Haney wants.
On Inside The Ring on Monday, the WBO welterweight champion put together a dream card and listed the rematch and unification bout against WBC titleholder Ryan Garcia as his “dream fight.” They first fought in April 2024, and Garcia won by majority decision, but the result was overturned to a no-contest after he failed multiple drug tests for the performance-enhancing drug Ostarine.
“I need that get back,” Haney said. “It was a tough experience for me, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I feel like it brought the best out of me [and] made me a better fighter. I was able to learn a lesson, and it not count on my record. I learned so much in that fight about myself.”
Haney, a three-division world champion and The Ring’s No. 8 fighter pound-for-pound, also listed Naoya Inoue vs. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, Dmitry Bivol vs. David Benavidez and Canelo Alvarez vs. Hamzah Sheeraz as the other fights on his dream card.
A potential rematch between Haney and Garcia has only been made bigger with their most recent victories. Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) won the WBO title with a dominant unanimous decision over previously undefeated Brian Norman on Nov. 22. Haney, 27, is The Ring’s No. 1 welterweight.
Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) won his first world title with a one-sided unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios. Garcia, 27, is No. 4 on The Ring’s welterweight rankings.
Haney and former two-division champion Teofimo Lopez praised Garcia’s ability in the ring and said he should be mentioned in the same conversation as them. Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs) added that Garcia’s popularity is a plus for boxing and adds to the opportunity for whoever faces him.
“I think in this time of modern day era, boxing right now, it's leaning towards that popularity,” Lopez said. “[It’s] leaning towards that engagement with fans. You see him on streams now, and everything of that nature. He's helping the sport evolve to a different point, and whoever faces him is going to gain that access.”
However, for Haney, popularity is the last thing on his mind.
“I want to fight the best fighters in the world and beat the best fighters in the world,” he said. “I want my name to live on, not because I was popular, [but] because I was great.
“I’m a great fighter.”