Ryan Garcia's comeback fight ended in disappointment as he lost to Rolando 'Rolly' Romero in Times Square. Romero knocked Garcia down and won by unanimous decision, marking an upset victory in Garcia's return after a one-year doping suspension.
The fight saw Garcia hit the canvas in the second round, adding to his history of knockdowns. This marked the fourth time in his career that Garcia has been floored. Despite the setback, Garcia quickly regained his footing, a pattern he's known for in previous fights.
After the bout, Garcia praised his opponent's abilities. He said:
"Rolly's much better than people give him credit for. His hands are very strong. He's solid. He does hit hard. He had the potential to hit the hardest."
Garcia compared the knockdown to his previous experiences, noting that while Luke Campbell's punch left him most dazed, Romero's knockdown wasn't as impactful. He explained:
"I wasn't dizzy. I was just on the canvas again. When Luke Campbell knocked me down, that's when I was the most dazed. I was actually dizzy. But it's always a flash knockdown, and I get right back up."
Romero's victory stands as an impressive and disciplined unanimous decision win, marking his best career performance to date.
The loss has thrown a wrench in Garcia's plans. He had aimed to bounce back from his suspension and build hype for a rematch with Devin Haney in late 2025. Now, Garcia will likely stay at welterweight and may consider a rematch with Romero or still pursue the Haney fight.
On the same card, Devin Haney defeated Jose Ramirez in what was described as an "extremely underwhelming" performance. The combination of Garcia's loss and Haney's lackluster showing has significantly dampened enthusiasm for their potential rematch, which was previously touted as one of the biggest fights of the year.
As the dust settles, both Garcia and Haney will need to reassess their paths forward in the welterweight division. The unexpected outcomes of their recent fights have reshaped the landscape of potential matchups in the weight class.
