By Sean Jones: Popular unbeaten WBA interim lightweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero announced on IG that he’ll be retiring from the sport of boxing at age 24.
It’s unclear whether this is a two-week retirement like we saw with Ryan Garcia with his anxiety issues or if Rolly (14-0, 12 KOs) is permanently walking away from the sport?
The timing of the Mayweather Promotions fighter Rolly announcing his retirement is suspicious, given that he was recently called out by WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney and his dad Bill, who both have been offering him a world title shot, which he shockingly declined.
I hate to say it but boxing fans are going to wonder if Haney chased Rolly into retirement by calling him out. I mean, it looks odd that Rolly should pick this time to retire just after being called out by Haney (26-0, 15 KOs) for a free world title shot.
Interestingly, Rolly posted a photo of him on a scale, showing that he weighs 181.6 lbs, which was well above the 135-lb weight class that he’s competing in. If this is Rolly’s true weight, it furthers the belief that some boxing fans have about being a weight-bully.
Rolly hanging up the gloves
“I’m 100% done with boxing. Boxing has caused me nothing but misery, honesty,” said Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero in making his intentions know that he’s retiring from the sport. “I don’t want to box no more. I really want to pursue only fans. I need to box no more.”
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Bill Haney reacts to Rolly announcing his retirement
“I don’t know what it is. I don’t have any comment about him talking about retirement,” said Bill Haney to AKHi TV in reacting to Rolly Romero’s retirement talk. “I just know what he said of recently. The retirement s*** is new to me.
“I know it’s a great time to be in the Devin Haney business. He doesn’t duck any fades. Rolly had a lot of s*** to say, and that’s why we even talked about him. I still stand in the same position. If he doesn’t want to actually fight, then he should shut up.
“Rolly is still missing. We thought he really wanted to fight, so Devin reached out to Floyd [Mayweather] to make the fight happen. Let me know if you find Rolly and he’s talking like he’s got some sense.
“If that’s the Rolly we’ve been looking for, check him into Napa. If there’s a fake Rolly on the loose, he needs to be put in Napa. We need to see the real Rolly Romero. Where’s he at? The guy that was looking for a fight, not a troll that’s came out,” said Bill Haney.