Ryan Garcia will make his highly-anticipated return to the ring later this evening, but is set for a tough night at the office in the shape of Rolly Romero
Ryan Garcia is set to return to the ring for the first time in a little over a year tonight when he takes on a familiar face in Rolly Romero.
The boxing stars were once sparring partners back in the day. While Romero was quick to throw his weight around the ring in the remerged viral footage, it was over eight years ago, and the pair finally have the chance to settle the score once and for all. It’s been a tough year for Garcia after the New York State Athletic Commission had suspended him for a failed drug test following his win over Devin Haney in April 2024. However, he has since had his suspension lifted.
“The suspension has been lifted as all conditions of the Consent Order have been met,” a NYSAC spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN. Garcia’s victory was overturned to a no contest and he was suspended for a year. As for Romero, the former world champion scored an impressive decision win over Manuel Jaimes in his last outing. And so, here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s fights…
What time will Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero start tonight?
Tonight’s blockbuster event is scheduled to take place in Times Square, New York City. The main pay-per-view card is scheduled to get underway at around 11pm BST (5pm CT / 3pm PT / 6pm ET). Devin Haney’s showdown with Jose Ramirez will likely start at around 12am Saturday morning BST (6pm CT / 4pm PT / 7pm ET). In the main event, Romero will make the walk to the ring first at around 1am Saturday morning BST (7pm CT / 5pm PT / 8pm ET) with Garcia set to immediately follow. The fight should not start later than this but could be brought forward if the undercard fights are completed earlier than expected.
How to watch Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero on TV and live stream
Fans will be able to stream the event live on DAZN pay-per-view. The event can be purchased for £21.99 in the UK, $59.99 in the US, and the equivalent of $24.99 for the rest of the world. A subscription for DAZN starts at £14.99 a month.
Watch Garcia vs Romero live on DAZN PPV
£21.99
DAZN
Order the fight here
Ryan Garcia and ‘Rolly’ Romero will face off on Friday, May 2, at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Fans can order the fight on DAZN PPV for £21.99, or bundle it with Alvarez vs Scull on May 3 for £34.99, saving 20% from the usual price.
Full fight card and undercard
Ryan Garcia vs Rolly RomeroDevin Haney vs Jose RamirezTeofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza JrLevale Whittington vs Reito Tsutsumi
Quotes corner
Ryan Garcia: “I retired Luke Campbell, I retired Javier Fortuna, and I’m about to retire Rolly and be done with these dudes. Whenever I get a feeling about retiring someone, I just know it. I know once I knock him out, he’s done. I’m gonna take control of the fight right away. I have to control the ring. He’s not a better boxer than me, but he’s gonna try to do things to make me uncomfortable. Ring generalship is my best friend when I step into the ring.”
Rolly Romero: “I’m great. I’m happy right now. This is just another normal day for me…It’s a historic event in Times Square and I’m happy to be headlining. This is going to be a legendary moment for all of boxing. This fight was destined to happen. I called it. I knew it was gonna be at 147 pounds and be one of the biggest fights in boxing history. Look at this.”