WBA light welterweight champion Rolando Rolly Romero and #4 Ryan Garcia are in talks to face each other on April 20th, a matchup generating excitement among fans. The potential fight, if finalized, will be broadcast on DAZN pay-per-view, with Rolly defending his WBA 140-lb title.
However, both Ryan Garcia and Rolly Romero, known for pulling out of fights, have a high flake factor. Negotiations for their April 20th showdown could be prolonged, raising concerns about the bout’s materialization. Veteran boxing personality Rick Glaser has cautioned fans to not set high expectations until the signatures of both fighters are on the contract, as the history of these fighters suggests the potential for disappointment.
Rumors abound of a #RyanGarcia vs #RollyRomero fight for April 20. These 2 guys are the biggest flakes in #Boxing, lets wait till the signatures are on the contracts before anyone gets too excited about it till then!
Not being negative, just a "slow down" warning about these 2.— Rick Glaser (@RealRickGlaser1) January 24, 2024
Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero might happen at a reduced PPV price
The decision to put the fight on pay-per-view has raised eyebrows, with concerns that fans may not be willing to pay $70 to watch it. The hope is that Ryan Garcia’s massive Instagram following of 11 million could drive PPV sales, as hardcore and casual boxing fans might be hesitant to pay the high price. There’s a suggestion that if Saudi investors contribute, the PPV price could be reduced, making it more appealing to a broader audience.
Both fighters come into the contest with 1-1 records in their last two fights, with critics suggesting Rolly could be 0-2. Rolly suffered a sixth-round defeat to Gervonta Davis in May 2022 and narrowly escaped a loss in his last fight against Ismael Barroso, with a controversial ninth-round stoppage.
Rolly’s precarious position as champion is emphasized, with doubts about his legitimacy because of the controversial nature of his victory over Barroso. For the Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero fight to proceed, Rolly must secure a step aside from his interim WBA champion, Ismael Barroso. Barroso earned his title shot with a first-round knockout victory over Ohara Davies on January 6th in Las Vegas and is next in line for a title opportunity.
A convincing win over Oscar Duarte marked Ryan Garcia’s crucial comeback from his knockout loss to Gervonta Davis. Garcia’s next opponent remains uncertain. His decision to withdraw from a fight against WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney sparked a feud, with both exchanging taunts on social media. Ryan Garcia deemed the Haney bout unprofitable. Haney responded with criticism of Ryan’s drawing power as he commented “If Ryan such a this big draw why he only fought on PPV once.. never before never after! Why he couldn’t sell out the last arena he fought in?”
If Ryan such a this big draw why he only fought on PPV once.. never before never after! Why he couldn’t sell out the last arena he fought in?
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) January 7, 2024
Ryan Garcia proceeded to call out a bunch of fighters, and vice versa, including Isaac Cruz and Adrien Broner. Thus the identity of his next opponent is in a state of doubt. However, with the rumors surrounding the Rolly fight, Ryan Garcia’s next opponent might have been set.
