Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero To Fight For WBA Title
The stakes have been raised for the reported bout between Ryan Garcia and Rolando “Rolly” Romero.
The Ring reported that Garcia vs. Romero will be for the WBA ‘World’ welterweight title. Eimantas Stanionis (15-0. 9 KOs) is the current WBA champion and will put his title on the line later this year when he faces undefeated IBF champion Jaron Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) on April 12 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
The bout is reported to be taking place in May at a venue to be named later in the United States.
Garcia (24-1-1 NC, 20 KOs) and Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) have never fought at welterweight. Romero is ranked eighth by the WBA at junior welterweight, while Garcia isn’t ranked. Garcia is also in the middle of serving a one-year suspension due to failing three drug tests for Ostarine, a banned substance, for his fight vs. Devin Haney on April 20.
Garcia missed weight by 3.2 pounds for the bout vs. Haney and had his decision win overturned into a no-contest due to the three failed drug tests.
Romero previously held the WBA belt before losing by eighth-round stoppage to Isaac Cruz (27-3-1, 18 KOs) on March 30. Romero won a unanimous decision over Manuel Jaimes on Sept. 14 in his last bout.
Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) is reported to be facing former junior welterweight champion Jose Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) on the undercard of Garcia vs. Romero. The expectation is that if Haney and Garcia win their respective bouts, they’ll fight later in the year in Saudi Arabia.
