WBA [Regular] welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero is the new cop in town! The 29-year-old stunned the boxing world with a dramatic victory over Ryan Garcia on May 2nd in Times Square. Riding high on momentum, Romero has since set his sights on a true icon of the sport—boxing’s only eight-division world champion, Manny Pacquiao. But ‘Pac-Man’ doesn’t seem too eager to answer the call.
The Filipino legend is already preparing for his own comeback, set to face Mario Barrios on July 19, 2025, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The two will clash for Barrios’ WBC welterweight title—a belt Pacquiao once held. In anticipation of the showdown, the WBC has ranked Pacquiao at No. 5 in their welterweight standings, signaling a serious return after nearly four years of retirement. Yet, Romero has something to say to ‘Pac-Man.’
In a video shared by Fight Hub TV, the 29-year-old can be seen dining in a restaurant when he remained childishly adamant. “I want Pacquiao… I want Pacquiao… I want Pacquiao next,” he said in the video. Regardless, ‘Rolly’ was previously asked by The Ring about the chances of a fight between him and other titleholders in the welterweight division.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – APRIL 07: Rolando Romero answers questions during a press conference at Barclays Center on April 07, 2022 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
However, he claimed, “Would I be remembered for beating Jaron Ennis? Or beating Manny Pacquiao? What’s the biggest fight in the boxing world?… I’ll fight [Pacquiao]. He’s coming back for a certain reason. It’s still a legacy fight for me.” Since then, the 46-year-old boxing legend appeared in an interview with Fight Hype, where he was pressed about the potential fight.
Pacquiao rejected the offer in one word, asking, “Who?” When asked whether he watched the Garcia vs. Romero fight, he claimed, “No, I didn’t see it.” In the meantime, while Romero continues to chase a fight against the Filipino boxing great, someone else is targeting him.
Oscar De La Hoya wants to make Rolando Romero vs. Ryan Garcia 2
Golden Boy Promotions head, Oscar De La Hoya, is now pushing for a rematch between Ryan Garcia and Rolando Romero after Garcia’s shock loss earlier this month. The Victorville native’s entire plan for 2025 went down the gutter when he lost the fight, which included a rematch against Devin Haney.
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MAY 25: Oscar De La Hoya attends the 11th Annual Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation “Big Fighters, Big Cause” charity boxing night at The Beverly Hilton on May 25, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Despite the shake-up, Oscar De La Hoya’s plan going forward is simple: redemption. “That’s exactly what I would do,” De La Hoya told Fight Hype. “That would be the right move for him. Go get revenge.” Before the Romero bout, Garcia had his eyes on big names like Haney, Jaron Ennis, and Vergil Ortiz Jr. But following the loss, De La Hoya is recalibrating.
“I’m gonna sit down with Ryan. He’s in great spirits,” he added. “We’re looking forward to the future. We’re gonna nail down exactly what the plans are going to be and put it in play.”
Having said that, it looks like Rolando Romero won’t be getting the dream fight he’s hoping for. Instead, he may have to defend his title in a rematch against Ryan Garcia, who’s now on a mission for redemption. With Garcia eager to settle the score, all signs point to a high-stakes sequel. Who do you think Romero will face next?
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