Boxing in Times Square: A Night of Shocks and Surprises
Okay, so picture this: Times Square, all bright lights and crazy energy, suddenly turns into a boxing ring on Friday night. The "Fatal Fury" event? Huge hype. A possible Garcia-Haney rematch announcement looming. The promise of amazing fights. Reality? Well, it was a bit of a mixed bag, let me tell you. Some underwhelming performances, and a seriously unexpected upset that left a lot of us scratching our heads.
Romero's Stunning Upset
The main event: Ryan Garcia versus Rolando "Rolly" Romero for the WBA (Regular) welterweight title. Garcia, back after a year-long break and that controversial no-contest against Devin Haney, was the clear favorite. But Romero? He pulled off a massive upset, winning by unanimous decision. The scores? 115-112, 115-112, and 118-109. Honestly, who saw that coming?
Garcia's Performance: Garcia just wasn't himself. After getting knocked down in the second round, he seemed to lose his usual explosive style. He fought cautiously, relying too much on his jab. He landed more punches overall, sure, but Romero’s strategy completely shut down Garcia’s power.
Romero's Strategy: Romero? He had a plan, and he executed it perfectly. He consistently went for Garcia's body, wearing him down, controlling the fight's pace. His controlled aggression and pinpoint accuracy were key to his victory. It was impressive to watch, even if you were rooting for Garcia.
After the fight, Garcia gave Romero his props, mentioning the year off probably played a role. And get this – Romero actually said he'd be up for a Garcia-Haney rematch! Who knew he was such a good sport?
Haney's Uninspiring Win
Then there was the co-main event: Devin Haney, also fresh off his no-contest with Garcia, fought Jose Ramirez. Haney won by unanimous decision (119-109, 119-109, 118-110), but… wow. It was a snoozefest. Both fighters were incredibly passive. It felt like watching a slow-motion trainwreck. Haney's constant lateral movement kept him safe, but it made for a seriously dull fight.
Lopez's Domination
The undercard, though? That was a different story. Teofimo Lopez absolutely dominated Arnold Barboza Jr., retaining his WBO and Ring Magazine super lightweight titles with a convincing win. Lopez’s sharp punches, head movement, and footwork were on point. He was a class above. After the fight, he called out Jaron "Boots" Ennis – looks like we might have another exciting matchup on the horizon!
A Night of Contrasts
So, Friday night in Times Square was a rollercoaster. Lopez delivered a clinic, but the main and co-main events? They fell flat. Romero's upset win over Garcia is the biggest talking point, definitely throwing a wrench into those Garcia-Haney rematch plans. Boxing, huh? Unpredictable as ever. The night left fans with a lot to discuss, some disappointment, and a whole lot of questions about the future of the Garcia-Haney rivalry. It's going to be a while before we forget this one.
Stay tuned for the next big boxing event – it's coming soon!
