The year of inactivity ended up being too much for Ryan García on Friday night in the Big Apple.
Without a spark and with a very little volume of blows, Garcia fell to a Rolando Romero who arrived at time Square in New York with a good strategy to win by unanimous decision. Everything was ready for a second fight between Garcia and Devin Haney, if both winners on Friday, but Romero ruined everyone with his convincing victory over Garcia.
Before that fight, Haney defeated José Ramírez in the coprincipal event, but after Garcia’s defeat, the contest between the two staggers. Visibly annoyed with himself, at a press conference, Garcia (24-2, 20 kos) said despite the result, he was contemplating that duel against Haney or a second confrontation against Romero.
The bad night of ‘Kingry’ was seen coming since in the second assault he tested the canvas after a rosemary hook blow. Then, Garcia remained very cautious after trying the canvas and stopped getting his lethal left hook. In his eagerness to defend himself, Garcia stopped throwing blows, limited to soaps, so Romero took advantage of that lack of offensive to continue accumulating rounds.
“The falls always help,” Romero (17-2, 13 kos) said after the victory that allowed him to capture the Welter Championship of the world Boxing Association (AMB), his third crown in his career. Previously, he had in his possession the light and Super League title of the AMB.
“He has a good left -hander, but he opened when I lay down and then he didn’t do anything again,” Romero said.
Garcia seemed to be paying the sins of the past. In his last professional fight against Haney in April 2024, Mexico American did not give the weight and then gave positive to a prohibited substance called Ostarine. Garcia won that fight by decision but was then suspended for one year by the New York Athletic Commission and the result was converted to a “no answer.”
“That year of rest was a lot for me,” Garcia accepted, who fought for the first time in 147. “I suffered many things mentally, but I will return.”
Garcia seemed to be very heavy in his debut in 147, while Romero showed greater corpulence and power in that weight.
Romero also looked as a man with more ambition because after his defeats against Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz, this was a duel of life or death for the fighter of Cuban roots. Now, he said he would be willing to face any rival in the 147 pounds.
“I don’t fight for money, I fight for world championships and now I have three,” Romero said after stealing the night in New York.
