Oscar De La Hoya, the American former professional boxer who now serves as a boxing promoter, has just brought down the curtain on the much-anticipated Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero fight.
In a scathing critique on Rolly’s exposed lack of prowess, De La Hoya stated outright: “Romero is not at the level to face Ryan. Ryan is much better, faster, and has more boxing abilities.” With such remarks, the Golden Boy Promotions head seemed to make it clear he isn’t factoring Romero into Ryan’s future plans. These harsh statements follow on the back of a disappointing performance by Romero in a recent matchup.
Previously, there’d been much talk around a potential clash between Lightweight realm’s Ryan Garcia and Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero. Expectations were high due to the impeccable records each fighter boasted—Garcia with a 21-0 record and Romero holding 13-0. The cancelation of this fight will surely disappoint fans.
Despite De La Hoya’s recent remarks, Rolly dismissed the criticism, and retorted, “I am ready to fight with [Garcia]. He’s the one who isn’t ready.” This comes as no surprise since Rolly has been pushing for a fight against Ryan for some time now, regularly taking to social media to taunt his rival.
However, De La Hoya’s statement suggests that Garcia, who’s under Golden Boy Promotions, may be looking ahead at bigger opportunities. Garcia’s victorious return after overcoming his mental health struggles signaled his readiness to take on more seasoned opponents, such as Gervonta Davis or Devin Haney.
Garcia’s speed and flair, coupled with his social media presence, have made him a highly sought-after opponent on the boxing front. Add in his 18 knockout record, and it’s apparent why De La Hoya is thinking twice before throwing him into the ring with Romero.
As for Romero, his performance in the boxing ring has often been criticized. Though he is undefeated in his professional career, critics argue that his technique is lacking and that his victories have been against lower-tier fighters. Despite Romero’s impressive KO record of 11 in his 13 wins, he’s criticized for his erratic, risky style of fighting. It’s clear that to win the respect of boxing purists and commercially successful colleagues like Garcia, Romero will need to prove his mettle against more formidable opponents.
Though many could argue that De La Hoya might be underestimating “Rolly”, it’s important to remember that Boxing, like any sport, is about more than just undefeated records. Skills, technique, fight IQ and the level of competition, all play major roles in how one fighter stacks up against another.
So, for now, the potential brawl between Ryan Garcia and Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero seems to have hit the back burner. Garcia’s future seems most likely to be filled with bigger challenges and high-stakes fights against more established fighters. Romero, on the other hand, has to work on sharpening his skills and convincing the boxing world that he can hold his own against superior athletes.
No matter what the future might hold, the boxing world remains excited for what’s to come. With a division filled with exceptional fighters, there’s still much action left to see. Although fans won’t get to witness a Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero showdown in the near future, they can look forward to equally thrilling, high-level matches.
