Garcia returned to the ring after a year-long absence due to a doping suspension. The 26-year-old looked out of his depth against Romero, who put on a disciplined performance. Romero floored Garcia in the second round and went on to win the WBA Regular Welterweight Title.
Former WBO Heavyweight World Champion Shannon Briggs didn't hold back in his criticism of Garcia's performance. In a video shared online, Briggs urged Garcia to retire:
"What's his name, Garcia? Retire. Retire. Worst fighter ever. Garcia, the worst fighter in boxing history. He shagged everybody with a jab and a check hook. He got good fundamentals … but he ain't no fighter. All that drama s**t, all that racist s**t, and then to come back and fight like that? You lost to Rolly?"
Briggs, who holds the record for most first-round knockouts in heavyweight history, expressed his disappointment with the current state of boxing:
"Boxing is crazy right now. If those are the superstars, then what? I was right there ringside for all the fights and I was like 'damn, horrible.'"
Garcia's loss has cast doubt on a planned rematch with Devin Haney. The hype surrounding that potential fight has cooled significantly after Garcia's poor showing against Romero.
On the same night, Haney outpointed former unified super-lightweight champion Jose Ramirez over twelve rounds. While Haney won, many fans found the fight frustrating to watch.
With this setback, Garcia's future in boxing remains uncertain. The once-promising "King Ry" will need to reassess his career and decide his next move carefully.