No one has seen a turnaround in boxing quite like Rolando Romero. In 2024, when he suffered a shocking defeat to Issac Cruz, experts had termed his career as essentially over. After all, it was his second loss in three matches. However, following that loss, it has been a sensational comeback for the Las Vegas native.

Not only did he come back to winning terms later in 2024 itself, but he also started 2025 with a massive upset victory over Ryan Garcia, a win that instantly resurrected his career and gave him the vacant WBA (Regular) welterweight championship. However, his year seems to have gotten a lot better as the WBA just elevated him from its Regular title to Super title, making him the full champion.

Rolando Romero: The new face of the welterweight division

On Thursday, the World Boxing Association released its end-of-month rating. The first notable change in the rating was the absence of super champion Jaron Ennis. Well, ‘Boots’ has been eyeing a move up a division for a while now, and on August 1, he officially vacated his WBA title and moved up to light middleweight. Boots won the title back in April, when he defeated Eimantas Stanionis in six rounds to unify the IBF and WBA titles. Many experts and fans predicted Jaron Ennis to go on a tear, trying to earn that undisputed status. However, he surprised everyone by announcing that his time at 147 lbs was over.

For almost one year now, the Philadelphia native held the top position in the welterweight division after Terence Crawford’s move up. However, his exit has significantly reshaped its landscape. The current 147-pound champions are:

• Rolly Romero: WBA Champion
• Brian Norman Jr.: WBO Champion
• Mario Barrios: WBC Champion

Meanwhile, the IBF title remains vacant. However, reports indicate that the upcoming rematch between Lewis Crocker (#1) and Paddy Donovan (#3), originally an eliminator, is now slated to be for the vacant title. While the departure of Ennis has left a massive hole in the welterweight division, Rolly Romero’s elevation, despite happening without him fighting for it, promises an exciting time. And it seems like his first challenger is already ready, as the Las Vegas natives prepare for an electrifying rematch.

Ryan Garcia is out for blood

When Rolly Romero defeated Ryan Garcia in May, no one expected it. However, in the aftermath, it came out that ‘KingRy’ fought with a hurt right wrist, for which he quickly went under the knife. And while he recovers from the injury, he has stated his intentions for a rematch; the newly crowned WBA champion has also stepped up.

As per The Ring, even the negotiations for the sequel are underway, and we will soon get the dates. However, fans are still waiting for an official confirmation. And while we have not gotten it yet, a few days ago, we got the next best thing when the Victorville native himself confirmed the talks.

It happened when 2ToneDaSupastar posted a screengrab of his Instagram chat with Ryan Garcia on his ‘X’ profile. “Gang! Rolly December?” he texted, hoping for an update on this saga. However, he not only got the confirmation but also learned how desperate Garcia is for redemption. “Ima put him in a body bag,” the 24-2 boxer replied, revealing his extensive desire to settle the score.