WBA Officially Sanctions Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero, Names Jaron 'Boots' Ennis' Mandatory Opponent

Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando "Rolly" Romero will be for a WBA welterweight title, with the winner in line to potentially face Jaron "Boots" Ennis.

Ryan Garcia during an April 20, 2023 press conference. / IMAGO / Hoganphotos

The stakes have been raised for Ryan Garcia vs Rolando "Rolly" Romero on May 2 at Times Square on DAZN.

The WBA officially announced that it's sanctioning Garcia vs. Romero for the WBA welterweight title. As a result, the WBA elevated Jaron "Boots" Ennis to the super WBA welterweight champion. Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs), who also holds the IBF welterweight championship, won the WBA welterweight championship with his sixth-round stoppage of Eimantas Stanionis on April 12.

"In a resolution issued Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the WBA Committee also named Jaron “Boots” Ennis as the organization’s Super Champion at 147 pounds," the WBA writes. "The decision followed an in-depth evaluation of Ennis’s performances, including multiple defenses of his IBF title and a pristine professional record of [34]-0 with 30 knockouts."

Garcia and Romero have never fought at welterweight in their career.

The winner of Garcia vs. Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) could be in line to potentially face Ennis, though, the unified champion potentially has his next opponent already lined up. The WBA also announced that Shakhram Giyasov is the mandatory opponent to Ennis' WBA title and that they have 120 days as of Tuesday to face each other. Giyasov (17-0, 10 KOs) fought on the undercard of Ennis vs. Stanionis and knocked Franco Ocampo out in the 4th round.

MORE: Ryan Garcia On Whether Jaron Ennis Is Pound-For-Pound Yet, Talks Future Fight

The biggest clash would be Ennis vs. Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs, though the path to that fight isn't straightforward. Garcia is reportedly in line to face Devin Haney next in a rematch later this year after their no-contest on April 20, 2023. Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) is also fighting on May 2, as he'll face former unified junior welterweight champion Jose Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs).

It's also worth questioning how long Ennis will stay at 147 pounds, given his size and the big fights that await him should he choose to move up to junior middleweight. Regardless, it's clear the fight that the WBA is trying to line itself up for, and if the stars align, a potential bout between Boots and Garcia could be one of the biggest in the sport if or when it happens.

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