Ryan Garcia was expected to make easy work of former WBA super lightweight titleholder Rolando Romero on Friday night. Instead, the events that unfolded in the ring left the Victorville native reduced to tears in the aftermath. To make matters worse, Top Rank boss Bob Arum has now added fuel to the fire with a comment about Teofimo Lopez that could further complicate Garcia’s path forward.

After returning to the ring one year after his suspension from the sport due to testing positive for Ostarine during last year’s fight against Devin Haney, Garcia came into the fight as a heavy favorite. Rolly, on the other hand, was being seen as nothing more than cannon fodder, even though a previous sparring session between the pair had Romero getting the upper hand over the 26-year-old. 

Defying the odds, Rolly Romero stunned the boxing world by dropping Ryan Garcia in the second round—a moment that forced Garcia into a more cautious, defensive approach. The shift in momentum slowed the pace of the fight, allowing Romero to take control and ultimately secure a unanimous decision victory. Meanwhile, on the same card, Teofimo Lopez stood out with a commanding performance, handing previously undefeated Arnold Barboza Jr. his first professional loss.

Lopez silenced critics of his recent inconsistency by dragging Barboza Jr. into deep waters and earning a clear unanimous decision victory. Following the bout, Fight Hub TV caught up with Lopez’s promoter, Bob Arum, to discuss the possibility of Lopez facing Ryan Garcia or Devin Haney. Riding high on Lopez’s dominant showing, Arum dismissed both matchups as non-competitive, signaling just how confident he is in his fighter’s current form.

“I mean, those aren’t really competitive fights for Teofimo,” Arum said, shrugging off any chances of pitting Lopez against the two fighters. It’s worth noting that Devin Haney also fought on the same Times Square card, facing Jose Ramirez in a bout that resembled a tactical retreat more than a true clash. The lack of action left both fans and pundits disappointed. Still, unlike Garcia, Haney managed to walk away with a unanimous decision victory over Ramirez. 

Regardless, this begs the question: Who is next for Teofimo Lopez?

Teofimo Lopez overlooks Rolly Romero, Devin Haney & Ryan Garcia to fight this champion

Teofimo Lopez is setting his sights on a bold new challenge—Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis at 147 pounds. Fresh off a unanimous decision win over Arnold Barboza Jr., Lopez expressed his desire to move up and face the undefeated welterweight star to become a three-division champion. “Many people think I’m too small for that,” Lopez shared.

“But it’s not about who’s the smallest. It’s about who’s the smartest.” Ennis, who holds the IBF, WBA, and Ring Magazine welterweight titles, is currently targeting unification bouts with WBC champion Mario Barrios and WBO champion Brian Norman Jr. Despite this, Lopez is hopeful Ennis will consider defending his belts.

“If he’s a champion, like he says he is… I think that he’s definitely looking forward to defending it. I would hope so,” Lopez said.

Having said that, Teofimo Lopez is not about to fight Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, or Rolly Romero next. However, whether his desire to fight Jaron Ennis is successful is yet to be seen. Who would you like him to fight next?