What was anticipated to be a landmark boxing event in Times Square on Friday night turned into a lackluster affair, leaving fans disappointed. The original plan hinged on both Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney securing victories in their respective bouts to set up a highly anticipated rematch later this year. While Haney did manage a win, albeit a forgettable one, Rolando `Rolly` Romero dramatically altered the landscape by securing a significant upset over Garcia. Romero defeated the heavily favored Garcia by unanimous decision with scores of 115-112, 115-112, and 118-109, capping off a night of underwhelming fights.
The main event marked Garcia`s return to the ring following a one-year suspension stemming from a failed drug test after his April 2024 fight against Haney. Despite entering the fight as a substantial -1000 favorite, Garcia (24-2, 1 NC) failed to showcase his signature left hook or mount any significant offense throughout the 12 rounds.
Instead, Romero (17-2) took control early, scoring a knockdown with a left hook in the second round. Although Garcia appeared unharmed, the knockdown noticeably changed his demeanor, shifting him from aggressive to hesitant for the remainder of the fight. Neither boxer demonstrated much urgency to engage, collectively landing a mere 123 punches out of 490 thrown. This total represented the third-lowest punch output recorded by CompuBox for a 12-round bout, even less active than the 503 punches thrown by Haney and Jose Ramirez in the co-main event.
“He fought a good fight,” Garcia commented post-fight. “He caught me early. No excuses, man. Congrats to him. He did a great job, and that`s it.”
Garcia attempted to use his jab, but Romero remained composed and maintained distance. This patient performance was unexpected from Romero, who was only two fights removed from a stoppage loss to Isaac Cruz in 2024. Rather than his usual reckless approach, Romero appeared calm and strategic.
Meanwhile, Garcia seemed unable to fully recover from the early knockdown and spent the rest of the fight searching unsuccessfully for a fight-ending punch. With this defeat, he will need to re-evaluate his career path.
Interestingly, Romero himself seemed to advocate for the Garcia-Haney rematch despite his victory. “I ain`t even thinking about what`s next,” Romero stated. “I think Devin and Ryan should get their rematch and make a big one.”
The expectation for the main event was a thrilling showdown that wouldn`t require judges` scorecards. Instead, Garcia`s uninspired performance concluded a series of dull fights staged against the unique backdrop of Times Square, where a small, invite-only crowd watched inside a temporary ring setup, while many pedestrians outside stopped to view the action displayed on screens.
Turki Al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia’s chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, reportedly aimed to create an iconic spectacle. However, the event is likely to be remembered for three main fights that failed to deliver the promised action.
The main event followed a similarly uninspiring performance by Devin Haney, who faced an opponent seemingly content to passively follow him around the ring. Haney`s performance appeared cautious, possibly influenced by his challenging previous encounter with Garcia, which was overturned to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive for ostarine and missed weight. Haney (32-0, 1 NC) seemed hesitant to throw punches, but his opponent, Ramirez (29-3), failed to capitalize, lacking any real urgency as he tracked Haney. Fortunately for Haney, his skill allowed him to navigate the sluggish fight and secure a decision, a bout widely criticized on social media.
Of the 503 punches thrown in the co-main event, Haney landed 70 compared to Ramirez’s 40.
Reports prior to the event suggested a contract was in place for a Garcia-Haney rematch later this year. However, given the disappointing outcomes of both fighters` performances on Friday night, it remains uncertain whether that highly anticipated bout will still happen or if Al-Sheikh will pursue different paths for them.