Ryan Garcia is set to return to the ring against Rolly Romero on Friday, May 2, at Times Square in New York City. The bout marks Garcia’s first fight since serving a year-long suspension after testing positive for the banned substance Ostarine back in April. Yet, the Victorville native already seems to have his sights set beyond Romero—and even beyond a potential rematch with Devin Haney, rumored for September.

Instead, the 26-year-old is focused on avenging the only blemish on his otherwise impressive record: a loss to WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis. Garcia and Davis last met in April 2023, where Garcia fell victim to Davis’ crushing power, suffering a seventh-round knockout. Garcia had been forced to cut down to a catchweight of 136 pounds for that fight, with a strict 10-pound rehydration limit—a stipulation that Garcia has since pointed to as a major factor in his defeat.

Speaking recently during a Face Off segment with Rolly Romero on DAZN, ‘King Ry’ made it clear that if a rematch with Davis happens, it will be on very different terms. “If they gave me a fair fight now, there’s no way I’m going down,” Garcia said during the interview. When Romero probed if he was willing to go down to 140 lbs to get a rematch, the 26-year-old responded, “F–k no!”

It’s worth noting that Davis is coming off a controversial majority decision draw against Lamont Roach Jr. in March. Despite being a heavy favorite, Davis failed to do any damage to Roach Jr., who matched Davis blow for blow. There were discussions about a rematch between the two on June 21st, but later reports indicate it has been postponed, potentially to as late as August. Regardless, with the Garcia-Romero fight on the heels, Romero has claimed he will face a reinvigorated Garcia on fight night.

Rolly Romero on fighting Ryan Garcia

Rolly Romero is embracing the challenge ahead as he prepares to face a revitalized Ryan Garcia on May 2 in New York’s Times Square. Confident but realistic, Romero acknowledged Garcia’s improvements since his suspension, saying during a roundtable with DAZN’s Todd Grisham, “The best thing is, I know I’m gonna get the best Ryan Garcia on fight night. So, there ain’t no f**king excuses or anything.”

Romero, known for his unpredictable style and knockout power, respects Garcia’s skills. “I mean, he’s quick as s**t. I mean, he can pop. He can crack. You know?” he said. Despite being the underdog, Romero remains unfazed, stating, “You know, s**t, I’m the most confident fighter in the damn world.” After losses to Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz, Romero is eager to shock the boxing world. 

“Man, long overdue,” Romero said of finally facing Garcia. “But I’m happy it’s finally happening.”

That said, it appears Ryan Garcia won’t make the same mistake as before in a potential fight against Gervonta Davis. However, Rolly Romero seems to be ready to ruin all of his plans. Do you think there will ever be a rematch between Garcia and Davis?