The fight card for the event organized under the banner of Ring Magazine on May 2 at Times Square (New York), titled Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, is starting to take shape. In addition to the previously announced fights—Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando Romero and Devin Haney vs. Jose Carlos Ramirez—an intriguing bout between Teofimo Lopez and Arnold Barboza Jr. has been added, with Lopez’s WBO super lightweight world title on the line.
Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando Romero
Ryan Garcia will make his return to the ring after serving a one-year suspension for failing drug tests ahead of his last fight against Devin Haney. In that bout, Garcia, who came in three pounds over the contracted super lightweight limit, tested positive for ostarine and saw his points victory overturned.
Initial reports suggested that Isaac Cruz was the most likely opponent for King Ry, but instead, Rolando “Rolly” Romero has taken his place—a decision that has disappointed many fans. Romero has not built an impressive record so far, and besides suffering brutal losses to Gervonta Davis and Cruz, he has also secured some of his biggest wins under controversial circumstances.
Devin Haney vs. Jose Carlos Ramirez
Haney, too, hasn’t fought since his chaotic showdown against Ryan Garcia last April. The American has decided to move up to welterweight and is eager to get revenge on the man who beat him using dishonest tactics. However, before he can earn his shot at redemption, he must first overcome Ramirez—and he will need to do so convincingly to prove to the public, and himself, that he has fully recovered from the trauma of being knocked down three times.
As for Ramirez, he is not in the best phase of his career. Since losing to Scotland’s Josh Taylor in May 2021, the California-based fighter has appeared to lack the same fierce determination that once took him to the top of the division. Ramirez turned down several fights before delivering a lackluster performance against Barboza, who defeated him by decision last November. The bout against Haney may be his last chance to return to the spotlight.
Teofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr.
Which version of Teofimo will we see this time? The Honduran-American fighter has been wildly inconsistent in his performances. This is partly due to facing opponents with styles that give him trouble and partly, most likely, due to his personal struggles in maintaining high motivation levels. But now, there’s no room for mistakes: defeating Barboza at Times Square would pave the way for lucrative purses and high-profile matchups.
Barboza will enter the fight with momentum, coming off an impressive performance in England, where he defeated local favorite Jack Catterall with an excellent tactical approach. The undefeated American may not be one of the flashiest fighters in the division, but he is solid, intelligent, and extremely difficult to dominate. Expect him to put up a tough fight and use every weapon in his arsenal to derail his decorated opponent’s plans.