This Friday, Times Square (New York) will host the prestigious boxing event sponsored by The Ring Magazine, featuring several world-class fighters. Ryan Garcia will return to the ring after serving a one-year suspension for doping and will square off against Rolando Romero. Devin Haney, also inactive since his controversial bout with Garcia, will take on Jose Carlos Ramirez. Teofimo Lopez, meanwhile, will try to defend his WBO super lightweight title against Arnold Barboza Jr.
Here is our brief preview of the three scheduled bouts.
Ryan Garcia vs Rolando Romero – WBA Welterweight Title
In a rather questionable—if not outrageous—move, the WBA decided to put its world title on the line in this fight, elevating the legitimate champion Jaron Ennis to “super champion” status. Setting aside these farcical maneuvers, the fight itself doesn’t seem to offer much.
Romero has already proven to be a mediocre fighter by world-class standards. Judges handed him a gift decision in a clearly lost fight against Jackson Marinez, and referee Tony Weeks gifted him another win with an absurd TKO over Ismael Barroso. But this time, you can bet no one will hand him anything.
Ryan Garcia might need a few rounds to shake off the rust after a year out, but sooner or later, his famous left hook will find its mark—and when it does, for Romero, who doesn’t exactly have a granite chin, it’s likely lights out.
Devin Haney vs José Carlos Ramirez
Haney will need to prove he’s fully recovered—physically and mentally—from the many punches he absorbed in last year’s bout with Ryan Garcia, initially a points loss later changed to a no-contest by the commission. To do so, the American has picked a decent opponent, though one who doesn’t seem to be at his peak.
Stylistically, Ramirez could pose some problems with his suffocating pressure and close-range two-handed combinations. However, in his last outing against Barboza Jr., the Californian looked flat and uninspired, as if the fire that once drove him had burned out.
We’re unlikely to see a thriller here: Haney will cover his usual miles in the ring to keep the fight at long range and will resort to spoiling tactics whenever Ramirez manages to close the distance. The most likely outcome is a wide points win for “The Dream” in a fight not particularly rich in drama.
Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr
On paper, this is the most intriguing matchup of the night, being the only one with a fairly uncertain outcome. Lopez will face a tactical puzzle that won’t be easy to solve, and he’ll need to be in top form to figure it out and keep his title.
“The Takeover” has often struggled against mobile and elusive opponents who make him lead: his performances against Sandor Martin and Jamaine Ortiz were disappointing, with narrow and disputed wins.
With his clean boxing, excellent jab, and outstanding distance control, Barboza could prove to be a very tricky opponent. Nonetheless, Lopez still deserves to be considered the slight favorite due to his wider range of offensive tools and greater experience at the highest level.