Ryan Garcia will return to the sport of boxing in May of this year following a one-year doping suspension.
The 26-year-old last fought in April 2024 when he faced former amateur rival Devin Haney. Garcia was set to challenger for Haney’s WBC Super-Lightweight World Title but came in overweight by three pounds and was therefore ineligible to win the belt despite the fight going ahead.
He dropped Haney three times on the way to a majority decision win, but news of two positive drugs tests saw the result soon overturned to a no contest and a ban handed down.
With just a matter of months before he is free to fight again, Garcia recently met with boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh to discuss his next moves. It is understood that he and Haney will rematch later this year provided both win an interim fight in May. Initial reports suggested that Garcia would face off with Isaac Cruz and Haney Jose Ramirez. Whilst the Haney bout was correct, Alalshikh has now announced that Garcia will be fighting Rolando Romero as part of the Ring Magazine’s inaugural fight card.
“The Ring Magazine is excited to announce its first boxing card in USA this May 2025 in collaboration with the video game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (which the card will be named after) and SNK Games.
The card includes three fights:
Ryan Garcia vs Rolando Romero
Devin Haney vs Jose Carlos Ramirez
Martin Bakole vs Efe AjagbaFurther details about venue and exact date will be announced later, stay tuned.”
Romero is a former champion at 140 pounds but lost his belt to ‘Pitbull’ Cruz. His only other defeat came at the hands of Gervonta Davis – who has also stopped Garcia inside the distance – and he will enter the ring off the back of a September decision win against Manuel Jaimes.
Why the Cruz fight is now off the table remains to be seen, though Garcia did recently confirm it himself, meaning it was an option. The card also features Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba in an IBF final eliminator for a mandatory shot at the heavyweight title held by Daniel Dubois.
