Romero says casual fans, not hardcore supporters, grow the sport
Rolando “Rolly” Romero says talking about boxing is the fastest way to ruin a fight promotion. The welterweight contender believes personality sells fights better than technical discussion.
Romero said casual audiences, not hardcore fans, are the key to growing boxing’s audience.
“You want to sell a fight? Don’t talk about boxing,” Rolly said to the Mr. Versace podcast. “That’s the number one way to destroy a fight. Nobody cares about predictions or who’s going to win. Talk about other stuff. Create a brand. Talk about investments or ideologies or whatever. Boxing only appeals to a boxing fan base.”
Romero argued that focusing strictly on the sport limits the audience to existing fans, while broader topics help draw in viewers who normally would not follow boxing.
“How do you grow the sport?” Rollt said. “You bring it to people that don’t watch boxing. The casuals, the people that don’t know about boxing, they’re the ones that see an interview from a fighter and say, ‘I want to watch their next fight.’”
The comment is notable because Romero has experienced both sides of the promotional spectrum during his career.
When he challenged Gervonta Davis in 2022, Romero became one of the most talked-about figures during the build-up thanks to his loud, theatrical press conference performances. The verbal exchanges between Rolly and Davis created viral moments and helped generate significant interest in the bout.
By contrast, the promotion of last May’s Times Square event, where Romero upset Ryan Garcia, drew criticism from some observers who felt he played a quieter role during press appearances while Garcia and Teofimo Lopez handled most of the talking.
Rolly’s remarks suggest he views promotion less as a technical discussion about boxing and more as a broader form of entertainment designed to capture attention beyond the sport’s existing audience.
“Boxing fans watch the sport,” Romero said. “But they don’t support the sport. Whether they hate you or like you, as long as they watch, that’s all that matters.”
