Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney Highlight Disappointing Times Square Card

The Times Square card failed to live up to lofty expectations, with Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney's disappointing performances being at the center of it.

Ryan Garcia after he was knocked down by Rolly Romero. / Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing

In retrospect, fans being barricaded out of Times Square in New York may have been the best thing to happen to them on Friday.

The Times Square card featuring Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando "Rolly" Romero, Devin Haney vs. Jose Ramirez and Teofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr. fell flat on its face. Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) and Romero delivered impressive performances en route to winning unanimous decisions, with the latter pulling off a significant upset to become a secondary WBA welterweight champion.

Lopez and Rolly were the lone highlights on Friday night, though.

Haney beat Ramirez in a fight that gave Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos a run for its money as one of the worst fights in recent memory, while Garcia looked befuddled and hapless after he was knocked down by Rolly in the second round en route to a unanimous decision loss.

Rolly Romero made a STATEMENT in Times Square 🔥🗽 pic.twitter.com/9Ri7x5nhsj

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) May 3, 2025

The card was primarily built around Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) and Haney (32-0, 15 KOs), with plans for them to meet later this year in a huge rematch after their no-contest on April 20, 2024, following Garcia's multiple failed drug tests for ostarine. As has often been the case in boxing, planning ahead for future fights backfired.

Now, there isn't much excitement to see either fighter back in the ring anytime soon. The staredowns for Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda and Edgar Berlanga vs Hamzah Sheeraz provided more drama than most moments in the co-main event and main event at Times Square.

Another Times Square face-off 👀

Edgar Berlanga 🆚 Hamzah Sheeraz

🎟️ Buy fight bundle on DAZN NOW - link in bio#GarciaRomero | #CaneloScull via #RiyadhSeason | May 2 & 3 | Powered by @FATALFURY_PR City of the Wolves | @SNKPofficial | @RingMagazine pic.twitter.com/iJrQbd2hlR

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 2, 2025

Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda FIRST FACE-OFF ahead of Ring Magazine 3 on July 12th in New York.

Buy @FATALFURY_PR: City of the Wolves out now and watch The Ring’s Times Square card LIVE on DAZN NOW 🍿 pic.twitter.com/IC32720DjF

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) May 2, 2025

Haney appeared afraid to engage and gun-shy from the opening bell, showing the lingering effects of being knocked down three times by Garcia. It was the ultimate win now, look good later type of performance. Though, with Garcia losing, there isn't a clear direction for Haney to go, and after his performance vs. Ramirez (29-3, 18 KOs).

Garcia looked like a shell of himself, and given that he was coming off a one-year suspension for his failed drug tests for ostarine, the optics are far from great. He threw less than 20 punches in 9 of the 12 rounds, including the final five rounds of the fight per CompuBox, with the result still hanging in the balance. Rolly (17-2, 13 KOs) wasn't much more active, but he still did more than enough to earn a clear decision victory.

MORE: Jim Lampley Reveals His Two Favorite Fighters To Watch Right Now

Haney and Garcia delivered historic performances in arguably the worst way possible. Haney and Ramirez combined to throw the fourth-fewest punches in a 12-round fight by CompuBox's metrics since its inception 40 years ago. They were surpassed in record time, as Romero and Garcia combined to throw the third-fewest punches in a 12-round fight in the main event.

that Devin Haney fight was a movie 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Wy3lCDBgu6

— 400 (@ceeNem400) May 3, 2025

Haney and Ramirez combined to throw 503 punches, while Garcia and Rolly threw 490 punches altogether.

5/2 DAZN- Romero W 12 Garcia
Romero pulls off the huge upset, dropping Garcia and out working him all fight. 45 of Romero's 57 landed punches were body shots. Their 490 combined punches thrown was 3rd fewest in a 12-round fight in CompuBox 40-yr. history, surpassing Haney &… pic.twitter.com/tD8sNUA3jT

— CompuBox (@CompuBox) May 3, 2025

5/2 DAZN- Haney W 12 Ramirez
one wouldn't & the other couldn't, as Haney & Ramirez combined to throw just 503 punches- 4th fewest in CompuBox history for a 12-round fight. Haney had a 45-17 edge in power landed, as Ramirez landed 2 or fewer in 11 of 12 rounds. pic.twitter.com/lGgkqsEpfZ

— CompuBox (@CompuBox) May 3, 2025

On a whim, the idea to host an event at Times Square was unique and prompted excitement and curiosity from everyone once it was announced. But once it was revealed that it was just an all-inclusive event with fans not being allowed to attend, it took some of the shine off of it. Fans are the backbone of any sport, and a key reason why Garcia and Haney have made it to this point in their careers, where they're co-headlining a historic card on PPV.

Then, to top things off, Garcia and Haney failed to deliver. And in a sport where you're often only as good as your last fight, the two supremely talented fighters are left with more questions than answers moving forward.

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