Lopez-Arnold Barboza Jnr, on the same promotion on Friday night in New York’s Times Square, is more important, because it’s for Lopez’s WBO junior-lightweight title – a title that deserves recognition – but Garcia-Romero’s almost certain to be far more exciting. 

I anticipate a shootout between them, and therefore a knockout. But that isn’t to say that anyone should be turning a blind eye to what their fight ultimately stands for. Little more than 12 months have passed since Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug ostarine, having defeated Haney in a fight for which he weighed in well over the agreed junior-welterweight limit and that was later ruled a no contest because of his positive test. 

Not only was he given only a 12-month ban, Friday’s fight with Romero was agreed and he’s been allowed to prepare for it, and also been rewarded with their fight being made for a WBA title at 147lbs and plans existing for he and Haney to have a rematch later in 2025. Fighters of Garcia’s profile often wait a year between fights anyway, so what punishment has he actually had? The rules, once again, have proved to be inconsistent. It’s little wonder fighters are willing to use performance-enhancing drugs, because there’s so little deterrent for them. I’ve said and written it before and I’ll do so again – any fighter who takes banned substances that permanently transform their physique should be banned for life, because even after temporary bans have been served, their unfair advantages remain.

Garcia’s most recent fight was against a junior-lightweight champion. The title he and Romero are fighting for doesn’t mean a thing – Jaron “Boots” Ennis is the true WBA (“super”) champion at 147lbs – so it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that what we’re seeing is another money grab from the WBA. 

Romero, regardless, is a warrior. He fights to win. He’s aggressive; he often looks fearless, and will willingly go out on his shield. Garcia’s one of the most talented fighters in the world – and in addition to having lightning hand speed and a desire to go for the kill, he might have the most devastating left hook of all. We’ve also seen both fighters get knocked down and stopped. 

On account of Garcia’s speed, power, size and determination to land his left hook, and Romero’s vulnerability to the left hand, Garcia has to be the favourite. I expect him to win by knockout, and in the first half of the fight.

Haney-Jose Ramirez should provide a lot of the answers to those asking how much Haney has left. It’s been suggested he’s shot – my belief is he isn’t. He’s 26, and had one bad night against Garcia. That was a very competitive fight in which he showed a lot of heart and admirable conditioning against an opponent who was overweight and had drugs in his system. 

Unless getting dropped three times and beaten has ruined him psychologically, he can recover – physiologically, certainly, he should be fine. I got embarrassed the night in 2014 I moved up in weight to fight and lose to Manny Pacquiao – I wasn’t ready. It was suggested I was shot, but I knew that that fight was a fluke, and when I fought Amir Khan next and wasn’t – as had been predicted – knocked out, I showed how much I had left. Haney can achieve something similar against Ramirez, who’s a tough opponent but someone he ought to defeat.

Bill Haney, his father, trainer and manager, had previously guided his career superbly. But his hubris, even given the disadvantages his son encountered that night, was the biggest reason Garcia won. When they were warming up for that fight Haney was throwing leaping left hooks, despite being a jabber about to fight someone with a left hook as dangerous as Garcia’s. Trading hooks with Garcia, and neglecting his jab – which he had trained to do for that fight – was the wrong call. In the periods he boxed Garcia that night, also in New York, he impressed.

I expect the fight with Ramirez to prove as effective a feat of matchmaking as most of the others Haney has been involved in. Against Barboza Jnr, Ramirez’s feet looked slow – he’s had a long career and is old for 32. Ramirez can get beaten by counter-punching and lateral movement; he’s not the fighter he was, and looks exactly what Haney needs. Haney was also struggling to make 140lbs the night he fought Garcia, so moving up to 144lbs should suit him, and contribute to him winning convincingly on points, and therefore securing the rematch with Garcia.

Lopez-Barboza Jnr can be expected to be a more competitive contest. Barboza Jnr has speed, and is content winning via the smallest of margins. He doesn’t take risks; he fights at distance and at a measured pace without overextending himself or pursuing knockouts or abandoning his instincts to use his jab and fight on the back foot while using his movement and throwing counters. Fighters of that nature test Lopez, who himself is a natural counter puncher.

Lopez is also athletic, and capable of pulling the trigger, but he feeds off of opponents being aggressive and inviting him to set traps and walk them on to punches. He’s also explosive, and has quick feet – particularly when he changes direction. What he lacks is a sufficiently deceptive jab to set up his power punches when he’s the one moving forwards.

Jamaine Ortiz and Sandor Martin both troubled him, because they’re natural counter punchers, which contributed to Lopez become frustrated against them. Against Barboza Jnr he needs to be particularly focused; if he isn’t, he’ll lose. 

But I believe that he knows that victory will lead to the truly lucrative opportunities that have eluded him – he’s among the lowest paid of the world’s elite fighters. I expect him to win, but to win one of the most difficult fights he’s been involved in.

The following evening, Canelo and William Scull – the IBF 168lbs champion – contest the undisputed super-middleweight title. Even with a fight between Canelo and Terence Crawford on the horizon, their fight, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has minimal appeal.

Scull struggled, and was a controversial winner, against Vladimir Shishkin. I’d go as far as suggesting that the last time Canelo was matched with such an unappealing opponent was Avni Yildirim – and at least back then, in 2021, Canelo was seeking to be a busier fighter than he is in 2025. I’d be stunned if he didn’t win.

His replacement as the Mexican draw in Las Vegas on Cinco de Mayo weekend, Ramon Cardenas, has more chance of beating Inoue on Sunday evening at the T-Mobile Arena – even though Inoue is a superior fighter to Canelo in 2025 and possibly in his prime. 

I’ve commentated on Cardenas’ past three fights on ProBox TV – he’s an interesting opponent for Inoue at 122lbs, where he’s smaller and therefore has looked more human, as he showed when he was dropped by Luis Nery in 2024.

Cardenas, who has a fine amateur background, is an intelligent, thoughtful fighter – sometimes his strategic mind overthinks and makes him hesitant. But at his very best he’s a very, very competent boxer-puncher, and when a fighter can punch with both hands, like he can, he has a chance.

Even if it’s tempting to conclude that his nationality has meant him being chosen as Inoue’s challenger, he’s Inoue’s toughest test since Nery, since when the undisputed champion has fought and beat TJ Doheny and Ye Joon Kim.

I’m fortunate enough to be ringside at Inoue-Cardenas, to commentate. I was also ringside when he fought and defeated Jason Moloney in 2020, but while he was widely admired then, his reputation has been enhanced by achievements since then that have been as impressive as any active fighter. He’s a generational talent – I expect being present on Sunday to prove a career highlight.

For all of my respect for Cardenas, I watched him get dropped by a left hook from Bryan Acosta in his past fight. Inoue has one of the best left hooks of all, to both head and body – he can be expected to win in the mid-to-late rounds.