Two of boxing’s brashest stars collide when Ryan Garcia returns to the ring after a one-year suspension to face off against former junior welterweight champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero.
Garcia and Romero are known for their fight-ending power and bad attitudes, so this could be a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fight between two big punchers.
Boxing odds have Garcia as the favorite at -900 while Romero is a +550 underdog. Here are my best Garcia vs. Romero predictions and free betting picks for Friday, May 2.
Garcia vs Romero prediction and pick
- My fight prediction: Garcia moneyline (-900 at DraftKings)
- My best bet: Garcia to win in Rounds 1-6 (+130 at DraftKings)
Fight analysis
There aren’t many positive things I can say about “Rolly” aside from the fact that he’s the perfect opponent for the returning Ryan Garcia. Rolando Romero has enough name value to be marketable, holds the distinction of being a former world champion, and is tough enough to club opponents into submission if given the opportunity.
In the grand scheme of things, however, Romero is grossly out of his depth in this matchup, even considering Garcia’s year-long layoff.
Garcia will not have to worry about squeezing down in weight for this fight, with the bout taking place at welterweight, where he should be just as fluid and strong as he was in his controversial showing against Devin Haney. Every major advantage a fighter wants to have, like size, hand speed, punching power, and durability, belongs to Garcia.
We’ve already seen Romero struggle mightily against mid-tier opposition. The fact that he was savagely beaten by Isaac Cruz, despite holding physical advantages in that fight, makes it hard to see him being competitive against a world-class fighter like Garcia, who will be motivated to make a statement.
That said, Romero is still a dangerous opponent. Garcia will need to stay sharp and push a fast pace to prevent Romero from settling into any sort of rhythm. Romero can land tremendously hard shots to the head and body when he can plant his feet, and his awkward style could catch Garcia off guard if he is careless.
However, Romero’s awkwardness does not make him any harder to hit; his defense is poor, his endurance under pressure is questionable, and he has been stopped or nearly stopped by Gervonta Davis, Isaac Cruz, and even the much older Ismael Barroso.
There are simply too many things that would have to go wrong for Garcia to lose this fight. With Garcia likely well-rested and mentally refocused following the Haney saga, he will come out aggressive, and Romero will not have the tools to survive the incoming storm. Garcia is the pick.
Best best analysis
Romero is tailor-made for Garcia’s money punch, the left hook, because he holds his hands low and plods forward with little head movement. Garcia does not take long to get going, and he will strafe Romero with combinations to the head and body to lower his guard and set up the kill shot. When the opening comes, and it should come early, Garcia will not miss.
My best bet is that Garcia wins by knockout between Rounds 1 and 6.
Ryan Garcia vs Rolando Romero odds
| Method of victory | Ryan Garcia | Rolando Romero |
|---|---|---|
| Win outright | -900 | +550 |
| Win by KO/TKO | -350 | +800 |
| Win by points or decision | +500 | +1800 |
| Draw | +1800 | +1800 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of 5-2.
Ryan Garcia vs Rolando Romero tale of the tape
| Garcia | Romero | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Age | 29 |
| 5-foot-10 | Height | 5-foot-8 |
| Welterweight | Weight Class | Welterweight |
| 70 inches | Reach | 68 inches |
| 24-1 | Record | 16-2 |
| 20 | Wins by KO | 13 |
Not intended for use in MA.
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