Boxing’s Big Names Falter in New York City
In a shocking turn of events, two of boxing’s brightest young stars, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, turned in disappointing performances in New York City’s Times Square on Friday night. The highly anticipated rematch between the two was expected to be one of the biggest fights of 2025, but instead, they both suffered losses that have left their futures uncertain.
According to ESPN, Garcia was upset by Rolando "Rolly" Romero, while Haney struggled to a unanimous decision victory against Jose Ramirez. The pair’s poor showings have raised questions about their readiness for a rematch, with Romero suggesting that they should face each other again in the future. "I ain’t even thinking about what’s next," Romero said after his upset win. "I think Devin and Ryan should get their rematch and make a big one."
The event, which was promoted by Saudi Arabia’s chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, was expected to be a huge success, but it ultimately fell flat. The fights were marred by a lack of punches thrown, with Haney and Ramirez combining for just 503 total punches, the third worst in CompuBox history for a 12-round fight. Garcia and Romero fared no better, combining for 490 punches thrown. The lackluster performances have left fans and pundits wondering what went wrong.
For Garcia, the loss raises questions about his performance, which was a far cry from his impressive showing against Haney last year. As ESPN notes, Garcia’s performance has sparked speculation about the role of performance-enhancing drugs in his previous fight. "Did the performance-enhancing drugs really help? A case can be made for it, considering how listless and disengaged he looked against Romero," the article states. Garcia will need to redeem himself in his next fight and may benefit from moving back down to 140 pounds.
Haney, meanwhile, remains undefeated but saw his stock drop with his lackluster performance against Ramirez. However, he is still a world-class boxer and could face a number of opponents, including Teofimo Lopez or Romero. Lopez, who easily outpointed Arnold Barboza Jr. earlier in the evening, emerged as a big winner from the event, and may face Haney or another top opponent in his next fight.
The fallout from Friday’s events has left the boxing world wondering what’s next for Garcia, Haney, and Lopez. As ESPN notes, it may be best for Garcia and Haney to go in opposite directions for now and try to reclaim their lost momentum before facing each other again. "One thing is for sure: Friday night created more problems than solutions," the article concludes. "Haney and Garcia need to separate and reclaim some momentum before facing each other again."
In conclusion, the performances of Garcia and Haney on Friday night have raised more questions than answers. As the boxing world waits with bated breath to see what’s next for these two young stars, one thing is certain: they will need to regroup and refocus if they hope to live up to their potential in the ring. With their futures uncertain, fans and pundits alike will be watching with great interest to see how they bounce back from this disappointing night.
The event also highlighted Lopez’s skills, as he outpointed Arnold Barboza Jr. earlier in the evening. His victory and subsequent call-out of IBF and WBA welterweight champ Jaron "Boots" Ennis have set the stage for a potential showdown in the future. However, for now, Lopez will likely defend his WBO 140-pound title against a top contender.
As the boxing world continues to reel from the events of Friday night, one thing is clear: the next few months will be crucial for Garcia, Haney, and Lopez as they look to regain their footing and assert themselves as top contenders in the sport. With a number of potential matchups on the table, fans have plenty to look forward to in the coming months.
The opinions of fans and pundits alike will be eagerly sought in the coming days and weeks as the fallout from this event continues to unfold. For now, the focus will be on Garcia, Haney, and Lopez as they look to bounce back from a disappointing night in New York City.
Sources:
ESPN
