On the night of May 3, Ryan Garcia (24–2, 20 KOs) faced Rolando Romero (17–2, 13 KOs) for the vacant WBA welterweight title (147 lbs) in a high-profile bout on Times Square, New York City.
Garcia hit the canvas as early as Round 2 but managed to go the distance. After 12 rounds, Romero earned a unanimous decision victory. Following the official announcement, both fighters shared their thoughts on the fight.
Rolando Romero praised Garcia’s resilience and expressed support for a Garcia–Haney rematch:
“Knockdowns always help win fights. But he's a real warrior. He got up and finished the fight. Honestly, I don’t even know what’s next. I think Devin and Ryan should have a rematch — make it a huge show,” said Romero.
Ryan Garcia congratulated his opponent and admitted that a turbulent year affected his performance:
“Rolly just fought a good fight. He caught me early. No excuses. Congrats to him. He did a great job, that’s all. I think this year took a toll on me — physically and mentally. I'm just grateful I made it into the ring and completed 12 rounds. I thank God for this opportunity. I want to thank Jesus Christ for both my wins and losses. And respect to Rolly — he did everything right,” said Garcia.
You can view full fight stats here.