Ryan Garcia and Rolly Romero’s Heated Sparring Session Resurfaces Ahead of Highly Anticipated Bout
A video of a sparring session between Ryan Garcia and Rolly Romero has resurfaced, showcasing the difficulties Garcia faced eight years ago against his upcoming opponent. The footage, which has gone viral, depicts Romero, a former WBA super lightweight world champion, dominating Garcia with his rugged and aggressive style.
According to TalkSPORT, Garcia, then a teenager, struggled to cope with Romero’s experience and physicality during the sparring session. Romero, known for his formidable punching power, landed several big shots, giving Garcia a tough lesson in the process.
The sparring session took place at a time when Garcia was still in the early stages of his career. Romero’s performance in the footage has been seen as a significant factor in Garcia’s development as a fighter. Despite this, Garcia has spoken about the sparring session, stating it was a "tough night at the office" but expressing no bad blood towards Romero.
Garcia and Romero are set to face each other in a highly anticipated super-lightweight bout at New York’s Times Square this Friday night. The event promises to be one of the biggest fights in US history, with both fighters looking to make a statement.
In a recent interview, Garcia said: "Me and Rolly sparred about eight years ago, it was rough sparring. He continued to use that to boost his career but I don’t have no bad blood with him." Garcia also expressed his determination to perform well in the upcoming fight, stating, "I’m here to do my job and set up the rematch [with Devin Haney], I’ve got to be sharp because he’s going to bring it."
Garcia has undergone significant improvements since the sparring session, developing lightning hand speed and a ferocious left hook. His only defeat came against Gervonta Davis in 2023, and he is now focused on securing a victory against Romero.
Romero, who has also lost to Davis and Isaac Cruz, is looking to bounce back with a win against Garcia. The pair will compete for the WBA welterweight ‘regular’ title, moving up to 147lbs for the occasion.
Garcia believes Romero has not made significant improvements since their sparring session, stating: "[He’s] not really [evolved] to be honest. I kind of just see him still making the same mistakes. Still kind of fighting the same. He hasn’t really made that many adjustments to be honest. His chin actually looks like it’s gotten a lot weaker."
The stage is set for an exciting encounter between Garcia and Romero, with both fighters eager to prove themselves. As reported by TalkSPORT, the bout promises to be an electrifying contest, with Garcia looking to put his past struggles behind him and Romero seeking to revive his career.
