Why Rolly Romero Won’t Step Into the Ring with Devin Haney

I’ll spare you the guesswork—Rolly “Rolly” Romero is firmly opting out of a showdown with Devin Haney, and yes, there’s more to it than you’d think. The Florida-based lightweight contender didn’t mince words when TMZ first reported his dismissal of Haney, branding him a “track star” more interested in showboating road-work videos than real title fights. If you’ve been scrolling boxing forums wondering what’s holding up this clash, let me break it down.

First, Romero’s main gripe is credibility. According to ESPN’s coverage, he believes Haney has leaned too heavily on promotional stunts—think viral sprint clips—instead of facing dangerous opponents. Romero argues that Haney’s past foes haven’t earned him genuine ring respect, a point he reinforced in a recent interview with BoxingScene. He claimed those matches were “warm-ups” and insisted any future bout would need a serious purse bump to compensate for what he sees as Haney’s padded résumé.

Contract issues are another sticking point. Romero’s team tells People Magazine that initial purse bids for a Haney fight came in underwhelmingly low, leaving Rolly unimpressed. As he told TMZ, “I’m not risking my belt for pocket change,” a sentiment echoed by his manager, who cited a steep negotiation gap between Romero’s expectations and what Haney’s camp is willing to pay. Fans itching for this lightweight rumble should know both sides are reportedly entrenched in financial standoffs.

There’s also style clash drama. Romero prefers toe-to-toe action, while Haney is known for slick defense and long-range jabbing—the very “track-star” tactics Rolly loves to mock. Romero’s camp argues that a stylistic mismatch could lead to a boring fight, harming both fighters’ legacies. Over on ESPN’s expert panel, analysts speculated that Romero fears a tactical defeat could derail his rapid climb up the rankings, especially after garnering praise for his explosive knockout against Isaac Cruz.

So where does this leave us? Unless Haney’s promoters significantly up the ante—both in purse and promotional commitment—Rolly is ready to chase bigger names or even move up in weight. That said, negotiations do tend to heat up when fighters and fans start calling each other out on social media, so don’t rule out a last-minute reversal.

Hopefully that wasn’t too complicated and you finally see why Rolly Romero is ghosting Devin Haney—for now.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, ESPN, BoxingScene, People Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed