WBA light welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero and #4 Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) are trying to hammer out a deal to meet on April 20th.
Fans are excited about the Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero fight on social media, viewing it as a match worth seeing. If nothing else, one of these fighters could see their career wrecked. Both fighters are 1-1 in their last two fights, and you can argue that Rolly should be 0-2.
DAZN’s PPV Gamble
If the gets finalized, it’ll be shown on DAZN pay-per-view, with Rolly (15-1, 13 KOs) defending his WBA 140-lb title, as he can get his WBA mandatory Ismael Barroso to agree to step aside.
Putting this fight on PPV will require that Ryan’s 11 million Instagram followers purchase it becaue the hardcore and casual boxing fans won’t be energized at paying $70 to watch Ryan and Rolly fight.
If Saudis would come through, they could drop the PPV price to a level where fans would want to purchase this event because if they try to peddle this for $70+ on DAZN, fans are going to balk.
Rolly was destroyed in six rounds by Gervonta Davis in May 2022 and likely would have lost his last fight against 40-year-old Barroso if not for referee Tony Weeks saving his hide by stopping the contest in the ninth round in one of the strangest stoppages in ages.
Barroso (25-4-2, 23 KOs) holds both the interim and the mandatory position. If Rolly can’t agree to a deal with Barroso, he may have to relinquish his WBA title.
That would be bad news for Ryan because he wants to capture a world title to validate him, and this might be as good as it gets for him. If he can’t get this fight with the vulnerable champion Rolly, he may not ever get a better opportunity before his own career sinks into oblivion.
“Per sources involved, sides are trying to finalize Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero. If they do the fight would take place April 20 and headline a DAZN PPV in Las Vegas. #boxing,” said Dan Rafael on X.
Putting this fight on PPV won’t make boxing fans happy, as they view Rolly as an illegitimate champion after his controversial ninth-round knockout win over Barroso in May 2023.
Rolly will be happy because this is the fight that he wants and needs. Without Ryan, Rolly would face Barroso in a rematch and likely get knocked out.
