“You want to sell a fight? Don’t talk about boxing,” Rolly told the Mr. Versace podcast said. “That’s the number one way to ruin a fight. Nobody cares about predictions or who’s going to win. Talk about other stuff. Create a brand. Talk about investments or ideologies or whatever. Boxing just attracts a boxing fan base.”
Romero argued that focusing strictly on the sport limits the audience to existing fans, while broader topics help attract viewers who don’t normally follow boxing.
“How do you grow the sport?” Rollt said. “You’re bringing it to people who don’t watch boxing. The casual people, the people who don’t know about boxing, they’re the ones who see an interview of a fighter and say, ‘I want to watch their next fight.’
The comment is notable because Romero has experienced both ends of the promotional spectrum throughout his career.
When he challenged Gervonta Davis in 2022, Romero became one of the most talked about figures during the build-up thanks to his loud, theatrical press conference appearances. The verbal exchanges between Rolly and Davis created viral moments and helped generate significant interest in the fight.
By contrast, promotion of last May’s Times Square event, where Romero upset Ryan Garcia, drew criticism from some observers who felt he played a quieter role during press appearances while Garcia and Teofimo Lopez did most of the talking.
Rolly’s comments suggest that he views promotion less as a technical discussion about boxing and more as a broader form of entertainment designed to attract attention beyond the sport’s existing audience.
“Boxing fans watch the sport,” Romero said. “But they don’t support the sport. Whether they hate you or love you, as long as they’re watching, that’s all that matters.”
