Rolando "Rolly" Romero is a professional boxer known for his unconventional style and punching power. He is stepping into the ring again, and his upcoming fights are generating considerable buzz in the boxing world.
Garcia and Romero thought they would fight last year, but these rivals instead fought Haney and Cruz, respectively. The former WBA super lightweight champion’s style is unconventional to say the least, though he possesses the proverbial puncher’s chance against Garcia. Romero realizes a completely committed Garcia is as dangerous as the consensus 9-1 odds that favor him suggest.
“Man, long overdue,” Romero said, “but I’m happy it’s finally happening, and over here in Times Square, New York. The biggest fight this year, for sure.”
This article delves into the background, career highlights, and future prospects of Garcia Romero, providing a comprehensive overview for boxing enthusiasts.
Background and Early Career
Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) had only 35 amateur fights and has boxed just 18 times as a professional. Romero, 29, lost two of his past four bouts by technical knockout.
Read also: Ryan Garcia and Canelo Alvarez: Contrasting Journeys
Key Strengths and Weaknesses
Romero admitted the videos of the sparring sessions have haunted him throughout his career, but Romero won't let his past success cloud his judgment.
“That's sparring. I've had guys land good shots on me, and I've landed good shots," Romero told Boxing Scene's Lance Pugmire. "Yeah, I did beat the shit out of him both days. ... It don't matter. It's just sparring. I was just trying to get a big fight."
The Las Vegas native packs thunder in his punches, as 13 of his 16 wins have come by knockout.
Recent Fights and Performances
Those losses came against two top opponents - WBA lightweight champ Gervonta “Tank” Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs) and former WBA super lightweight champ Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (27-3-1, 18 KOs) - thus Romero remains confident that he can pull off an upset on this huge stage.
Romero's last four fights haven't gone well, however. He was knocked out by Gervonta "Tank" Davis in the sixth round of a May 2022 fight before winning the vacant WBA junior welterweight belt in controversial fashion over Ismael Barroso a year later. Romero lost that same title to Cruz in his first defense and was taken 12 rounds by lesser-known fighter Manuel Jaimes during his most recent fight last September.
Read also: The Canelo-Garcia Bond
Fight Statistics
Here is a summary of Romero's recent fight record:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2022 | Gervonta Davis | Loss | TKO |
| Year Later | Ismael Barroso | Win | Controversial |
| First Defense | Isaac Cruz | Loss | - |
| September Last | Manuel Jaimes | - | 12 rounds |
Upcoming Fight Against Ryan Garcia
THE FULL FIGHT! Rolly Romero vs Ryan Garcia In Time Square
After more than a year since stepping into a boxing ring, Ryan "KingRy" Garcia will make his triumphant return Friday in a welterweight battle against Rolando "Rolly" Romero in New York's Times Square. Garcia-Romero is the main event of The Ring’s “FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves” pay-per-view show ($59.99; $89.99 if bundled with the May 3 card headlined by Canelo Alvarez and William Scull).
It'll be interesting to see where Garcia's head is Friday after a roller-coaster year. He's announced his retirement, been arrested for vandalizing a Beverly Hills hotel, and been sued separately by Haney and streaming service Fanmio.
Garcia has notably struggled with his mental health throughout his boxing career but looked confident and aggressive during his fight against Haney. He knocked down "The Dream" three times.
Garcia said he wasn't in top form when he fought Haney, but he recently told Romero during "DAZN Boxing Face Off" that he's entering Friday's fight in peak physical and mental condition.
Read also: Explore Ryan Garcia's achievements in boxing
"I showed everyone on my Instagram, I was drinking, I was smoking (before fighting Haney), I didn't hide it, but now I'm not. ... I'm even more focused, I'm training every day, it's going to be worse. You're going to be retiring that night," Garcia said.
If Garcia enters Friday's fight with the same confidence, conviction, and determination, we could see some fireworks. Rolando Romero senses that he’ll face a reinvigorated Ryan Garcia on May 2 in New York’s Times Square.
Romero reminded Garcia and anyone who will listen that his polarizing opponent emphasized throughout this promotion that he has rectified his issues outside of the ring and will fight Romero in much better mental and physical condition than he was when he boxed Devin Haney a year ago.
“The best thing is, I know I’m gonna get the best Ryan Garcia on fight night,” Romero told DAZN’s Todd Grisham during a roundtable discussion recently released on The Ring’s YouTube channel. “So, there ain’t no f--king excuses or anything.”
The former WBC interim lightweight champion maintains he has been fully focused on training for his 12-round welterweight fight with Romero.
Ryan Garcia's Perspective
While he remains one of the sport’s biggest stars, Ryan Garcia had the worst professional 2025 relative to his potential. After a tough 2024, Garcia entered 2025 with the world watching to see if he could recapture the form that saw him beat Devin Haney before it became a no-contest following his failed VADA tests for Ostarine. In May 2025, Garcia faced Rolando Romero. What was supposed to be a “tune-up” to unlock a rematch with Haney turned into a disaster.
Although Ryan has the chance to bounce back by facing Mario Barrios in February for the latter’s WBC Welterweight Title, Ryan will face some more hurdles. Barrios is working with his old trainer, Joe Goossen. Garcia left Goossen following his loss to Gervonta Davis. Goossen is well aware of Ryan’s flaws, which has primarily been his inability to stay disciplined defensively.
The same has been said about his training regiment, with concerns that he spends too much time leveraging his social media profile rather than staying in the gym. The failure to beat Barrios will call into question whether Ryan can win a world title. He would have had the WBC Junior Welterweight Title had he not missed weight for the Haney fight, nor failed his VADA tests. He would have also secured the WBA Welterweight Title since Romero was upgraded from the regular version once Jaron Ennis moved up to 154 pounds.
The question is now whether Ryan came back stronger. Garcia is confident he will.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs, 1 NC) was 7 when he took up boxing. The Victorville, California native participated in approximately 240 amateur matches before he made his pro debut in June 2016.
“I mean, he’s quick as sh*t,” Romero admitted. “I mean, he can pop. He can crack. You know? A lot of experience, you know? He’s been doing this for - how old were you when you did this, when you started?”
tags: #garcia #romero #wba #welterweight