“He just likes to touch men over and over again. Boxing is something intimate to him.” Those were the throwaway words from Rolando Romero used to make fun of a world champion boxer. Often labeled as “boring” for prioritizing technical precision rather than chasing knockouts, Shakur Stevenson recently addressed the criticism. Speaking on The Breakfast Club, he admitted that forcing knockouts tends to lead him to mistakes. Instead, “I just go in there not looking for it and if it comes, it comes,” he admitted.

Now, with his long-awaited mandatory title defense against William Zepeda set for July 12th in New York City, fans are eager to see whether Stevenson brings calculated patience or seeks to silence doubters with a statement finish. Anyway, just hours ago, he was spotted ringside at OTX 13 in Houston, supporting his sparring partner Giovanni Marquez in a bout against Esteban Munoz. In a quick interview with journalist Patricia Duong, the 23-0 boxer couldn’t resist taking a jab at Rolando Romero for what he has long said about Stevenson. So what did he say?

The conversation began with the reporter asking Shakur Stevenson about the May 2nd Times Square event. The 27-year-old kept it respectful, saying, “Had a great night. A lot of my peers in there fighting; they’re all competitive. So I want to go show July 12th why I’m better than them.” But the tone quickly shifted when the reporter brought up the buzz surrounding Rolando “Rolly” Romero.

The Newark native didn’t hold back: “That’s good for Rolly, you know. Rolly is a shi–y fighter but he’s a shi–y fighter who had a great night and kind of got lucky. Lucked up against that version of Ryan Garcia. So good for him.”

His emphasis on “that version” of Ryan Garcia speaks volumes. Garcia was the heavy fan favorite, as he stepped into the ring for the first time after his last fight turned a no-contest due to a positive PED test for Ostarine. Many still believed he could’ve stopped the 17-2 boxer before he went for a rematch with Devin Haney. While Canelo Alvarez blamed KingRy’s performance on ring rust, it’s worth noting Rolando Romero, too, had been out of the ring for a year, with his last win coming against Manuel Jaimes.

As for Stevenson’s sharp comment, it didn’t come out of nowhere. There’s been a back-and-forth between the two for quite some time, with Romero previously taking verbal shots at Stevenson. So what did Rolando Romero say?

Rolly Romero has no chill for Shakur Stevenson

Joining hosts Danza and Keto on the latest episode of The Danza Project podcast, Rolando Romero took the opportunity to make a point. In classic Rolly fashion, he managed to both stick up for Canelo Alvarez and take a sharp jab at Shakur Stevenson. The conversation turned playful when Danza asked, “You’re taking a long flight tomorrow. If you had one fight to fall asleep to, is it going to be Devin’s or Canelo’s?” It was a loaded question, referencing recent criticism of both fighters—Haney for his flat performance at the Fatal Fury Times Square event and Canelo for an uninspiring outing against William Scull despite reclaiming undisputed status.

And Rolando Romero didn’t choose either. “Shakur’s,” he quipped, sparking laughter in the studio. The jab was clearly meant to taunt, but Romero followed it up with some actual jabs. While Haney may sometimes carry the reputation of being a dull fighter, Romero argued his last bout against Ryan Garcia was actually ‘super entertaining’. However, he gave Haney credit for showing grit in his Fatal Fury event.

That, according to Romero, is what separates Haney from Shakur Stevenson. “It’s not like Shakur, who f–king wants to go drop around the ring like a f–king grasshopper,” he said bluntly. When Danza tried to come to Stevenson’s defense, Rolando Romero doubled down, questioning the level of opposition Stevenson has faced over his career. In contrast, according to him, Devin Haney has shared the ring with elite names like Vasyl Lomachenko, George Kambosos Jr, and Jorge Linares, further bolstering his case.

With tensions high and egos even higher, it’s clear the only way to settle the debate is in the ring. A bout between Stevenson and Romero could finally answer who truly has the better skills and more power, but it would require one of them to move up or down in weight. That said, if these two ever step into the ring, who do you think comes out on top?