“We did the whole deal, and he wants to run away. He’s literally just chasing after a hit,” Romero told ESNUUS. “He clearly doesn’t want to fight me. We literally did the whole deal. We were going to fight at the Barclays on May 30.”
Rolly named four massive stars, who he believed used his name for headlines with no intention of actually trading leather.
- Conor Benn: Walked away from a settled May 30 date.
- Devin Haney: Rejected a 50/50 split and tried to “play promoter.”
- Ryan Garcia: Often mentioned but never followed up on.
- Manny Pacquiao: One of the five “mega fights” says Rolly pulled out.
“I’ve had five mega-fights that have been drawn,” Romero said. “Ryan, Pacquiao, Conor and Devin.”
The most detailed dispute outside of Benn involves Devin Haney, where Romero pointed to money as the sticking point. He said his team offered a full deal, including a 50 percent split, but accused Haney’s team of trying to control terms without committing.
“They’re also just trying to use it for power,” Romero said. “I’m the one who sent it. I sent the whole deal and everything. But then you want to play like you’re the promoter and stuff.”
“We gave you 50%. You could have sold it to DAZN, but DAZN didn’t want to deal with them,” Rolly said. “It would have been a great fight, but it’s called betting on yourself. You don’t bet on yourself. I bet on myself.”
Romero has made it clear that he sees himself as the one pushing for fights to happen, even as negotiations continue to fall apart.
“Ryan doesn’t want to fight me,” Romero said. “Obviously every fight I’m in is a mega fight.
Rolando is in an awkward position where he holds a title but doesn’t carry the appeal of an A-team like Devin Haney or the built-in audience of Ryan Garcia.
The “bet on yourself” pitch only works when a fighter can guarantee numbers on the back. Romero is asking opponents to take that gamble without presenting the kind of draw that makes it easy to accept.
From his side, the position is consistent. He offers splits, pushes for big fights and says yes. On the other hand, the reluctance reads that Ryan Garcia, Manny Pacquiao, Conor Benn and Devin Haney don’t want to take a fight that won’t sell.
A dangerous puncher with a belt is useful, but only if it makes business sense. Romero is trying to sell a premium fight without the customer base that usually supports it, and opponents see the risk as not worth taking.
