Ryan Garcia has had a tremendous boxing career. The 25-year-old boasts a 24-1 record and is one of the world's best active lightweight fighters. He originally floated the idea of fighting former world champion Devin Haney. However now, Garcia is planning a matchup with Rolando Romero.

Ryan Garcia pivots away from rumored Devin Haney fight in favor of Romero

During the spring of 2023, Garcia fought Gervonta Davis in a highly competitive lightweight matchup. Garcia lost the fight in the seventh round after taking a devastating blow to his abdomen. The talented star then bounced back from his loss by beating Oscar Duarte in eight rounds.

Garcia was rumored to fight Devin Haney in another exciting battle, but the former WBC interim lightweight champion is now pivoting in another direction:

“I've notified my team I'm going a different route. My intent now is to fight Rolando Romero. I pray my team backs me on this decision,” Garcia announced on his X account. He proceeded to explain that fighting Romero would be a bigger fight and would bring more business.

Romero is no slouch, as he held the World Boxing Association super lightweight title in 2024. Still, fans are having mixed reactions to Garcia's announcement. Some believe his change from Haney to Romero indicates his fear of higher competition.

Yet, others defended Garcia's decision. One X user claimed it was a smart move to build chemistry with his new trainer, Derrick James. As Garcia builds momentum with James, he can then move towards fighting more experienced top-notch fighters.

It will be interesting to see how the matchup between Garcia and Romero goes. Romero has not had as many fights, but he is still one of the most talented lightweights in the world. Fans await the intriguing boxing matchup.