Rolly Romero offers levity, powerful memories to Ryan Garcia

LOS ANGELES – Rolly Romero came across as chill, unbothered and at peace Monday during a news conference that renewed the Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney tensions and featured Teofimo Lopez slapping his May 2 140lbs title challenger, Arnold Barboza.

If Gervonta “Tank” Davis had been here, he would’ve said to watch out for the quiet ones.

Two weeks ago, as Davis was preparing for his March 1 lightweight title defense against Lamont Roach Jnr, someone asked him who punched him hardest.

It wasn’t Romero’s May 2 foe, Ryan Garcia and his destructive left hook to the head. It was Romero.

“It felt like a bag of bricks,” Davis said.

Romero, 16-2 (13 KOs), will need those blows to land when he meets Garcia, 24-1 (20 KOs), in the main event of the innovative May 2 card at New York’s Times Square.

Told of Davis’ high praise Monday, Romero said, “I don’t think anyone’s doubting that.”

Does he think he can land one of those blows on Garcia?

“I already have, many times,” he said of bouts during their amateur days.

On stage, DAZN’s Todd Grisham asked Romero if those battles of years ago really matter now. Romero was non-responsive.

So he was asked again. Can he inflict that same kind of damage on May 2?

“Of course,” he responded.

Romero maintained an aloof, grinning demeanor through the event.

He told BoxingScene in December he’s remained in peak fitness, staying in Ismael Salas’ Las Vegas gym as he aims to regain a world title after losing it to Mexico’s Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz by stoppage one year ago this month.

At times, Garcia was laughing at Romero, who was holding onto some type of mini-sock puppet afterward.

Romero started the day telling a reporter earlier Monday that Garcia wants to be a model more than a champion after missing weight versus Haney and getting stopped by Davis. 

“I can talk trash in both languages. If you guys want, I can make this a trash talk-fest,” Romero said.