Rolly Romero Gets Stock Boost Following Loss to 135-pound Champ Gervonta Davis
Before WBA mandatory challenger Rolando “Rolly” Romero (14-1, 12KOs) stepped into the ring with WBA Regular lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (27-0, 25KOs), the consensus was that Romero would get knocked out. That prediction came true. However, outside of the knockout, the fight didn’t go as most thought it would.
Many figured the fight would end in under three rounds. But once the two men got into the ring, it was a totally different fight. Romero showed something he hasn’t really shown in the past. That was his patience and calmness. He’s normally eager to seek and destroy his opponent. Rolly did an excellent job of outworking Davis, keeping him defensive for much of the fight. When suddenly he got overconfident coming in on Davis, he was met with a vicious left hook. Although Romero made it to his feet, he did so on wobbly legs. With the ref seeing that, the fight was waved off.
WHO WILL CHALLENGE ROMERO NEXT?
Since the loss, Rolly has gotten praise for showing improvements in his skills. He’s also got Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, backing him heavily after his performance. The outspoken CEO took to social media to ask what other lightweights would be willing to step up to the plate against the hard-hitting Romero.
Oftentimes after a surprising performance, fans, media, and promoters become prisoners of the moment. This is currently happening with Romero. While he looked like a much improved fighter, how he fares against the other elite lightweights remains to be seen.
When you look at WBC champion Devin Haney and former unified champion Vasyl Lomachenko, you see that these fighters have excellent footwork, hand speed, technique, and excellent fundamentals. Conversely, when you look at guys like Ryan Garcia and Isaac Cruz, those fights seem better suited for Rolly Romero. For one, Cruz is going to fight fire with fire, and to a lesser degree, so will Garcia.
Regardless of how you feel about Rolly, the fact remains that his power will always make him a threat to the entire division. However, it’s going to take more than power to become an elite fighter. So, while he improved, one of the many things he needs to work on is his lack of focus, which resulted in him being knocked out.
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By: Jerrell Fletcher
