Ryan Garcia Exposed on DAZN, Rolando Romero Outpoints him as +700 Underdog – Video Highlights
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
New York, NY (May 3rd, 2025)– In The Ring Magazine’s Fatal Fury: City of The Wolves boxing card center stage, Manhattan, in what was supposed to be two tune-up bouts for a Devin Haney versus Ryan Garcia rematch, the biggest underdog on the Times Square boxing card in Manhattan did not cooperate. On Friday night, May 2, 2025, on a four-bout DAZN boxing card broadcast from Times Square in New York City, Rolando Romero knocked down Garcia in the second round, and then outworked him quietly for the rest of the bout to win an upset 12-round unanimous decision.
Romero, 17-2 with 13 knockouts, Las Vegas, Nevada, entered the bout as a whopping +700 underdog on BetMGM. Romero pulled off the upset of 2025 so far. Romero, more muscular and developed than Garcia on this occasion, proved to be the more powerful of the two combatants. Romero moved forward with a meticulous, calculating, slow pace. Garcia, after a cautious first round, got decked in the second round, felt Romero’s power, and allowed Romero to dictate the pace of the bout for the next 10 rounds. This proved to be Garcia’s undoing.
Garcia’s now No Contest-No Decision now overturned win over Haney in April 2024 a year ago was based on scoring knockdown of Haney in rounds seven, ten and eleven, and roughhouse tactics which caused him to lose a point for hitting off the break in the seventh round. Against Romero, Garcia landed only 57 of 280 punches, compared to Romero landing 66 of a more accurate 210 punches thrown. It remains unclear if Garcia, now 24-2 with 20 Knockouts, Victorville, California, and Devin Haney, 32-0 with 15 knockouts, Henderson, Nevada, will still fight their still contracted for rematch. They signed contracts for their 12 round rematch before they boxed Friday night. Romero was supposed to be a safe opponent for Garcia. Turns out he was not.
Romero waged a close, quiet bout, with his right hand mostly protecting his jaw for Garcia’s power left. With nowhere for the left to go, it was a jab here and a jab there for most of the night, with Romero walking Garcia down. Inactivity did not help Garcia’s cause. Romero has two recent stoppage losses, though, and Garcia’s inactivity was no excuse. Garcia, no longer with the advantage of Ostarine or other banned performance enhancing substances, offered no justification for his limited performance which fell far short off anything worthy of a world class boxer more hype and Skype and virtual malarkey than actual performance. In the process, the bookies got taken to the cleaners. This reporter mentions the PEDs, which the other reporters on this fight did not, as he was the absence of the PEDs in Garcia’s arsenal on this night which dominated Garcia’s performance.
What made this bout noteworthy what that it appeared not noteworthy. It was a quiet strategic bout devoid of power punches. Romero executed his ‘Plan A’ and Garcia offered to ‘Plan B’ against a surprisingly stronger, better conditioned fighter. Every chump who bet on Garcia on Garcia to win lost his dough, like betting on George Foreman to knock out Muhammad Ali. The betting experts said six rounds or less for Garcia, who ultimately gave them no reason for hope. It was terrible to watch for the bookies, with the usually contemptuous loud mouth Garcia playing the part of a well-behaved limited ability loser instead. This was one of those bouts which screamed, if you are going to bet, please don’t. It was not difficult to watch, only not much to watch. Romero came forward outworking Garcia, waiting for a serious fight all night, even in the last few championship rounds, and all Romero got was an aardvark with some powerless jabs in center ring. In this reporter’s view, seeing Garcia without his PEDs would be a meaningless excuse to sell tickets for the Haney versus Garcia rematch in Fall 2025, even if they contractually have to do it anyway.
Result: Rolando Romero Won in 12 rounds by Unanimous Decision over Ryan Garcia, Welterweights
Scoring: 116, 112, 116-112 Romero. 118-109 Romero. Referee: Ricky Gonzalez
Romero knocked down Garcia in the second round. Clean bout.
Main Event
Teofimo Lopez Won in 12 Rounds by Unanimous Decision over Arnold Barboza Jr., Super Lightweights
Lopez retains WBO and Ring Magazine World Super Lightweight titles
Scoring: 116-112, 116-112 Lopez. 118-110 Lopez. Referee: Eric Dali. Clean bout.
22-1 Lopez wins phenomenal center of the ring punch counter punch tactical war with well- placed body shots on 32-0 challenger Barboza. Toughest of three title defense wins for Lopez.
Devin Haney Won in 12 rounds by Unanimous Decision over Jose Carlos Ramirez, Welterweights
Scoring: 119-109, 119-109, 118-110 Haney. Referee: David Fields. Clean bout.
Now 32-0 Haney used well placed overhand rights to win a furious fast paced bout over the 29-3 gutsy Ramirez featuring crisp footwork by both combatants. Not a close bout overall.
Reito Sutsumi, in Pro Debut, Won in Six Rounds by Unanimous Decision over Levale Whittington, Featherweights.
Scoring: 60-54-60-54, 58-56 for Tsutsumi. Referee: Charlie Fitch.
Japanese featherweight prospect Sutsumi, in pro debut, gets taken six round distance by tough southpaw opponent Whittington, who had a relatively good defense. Sutsumi came forward and offered a variety of punches, but stood in front of Whittington for all six rounds.
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