Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney had their opponents, now they have a time and location and it’s a doozy.
The Ring Magazine announced Friday that Garcia and Haney’s next bouts are set to take place at Times Square in New York on May 2. The world-famous landmark has long been targeted for the blockbuster boxing event, which sees Garcia (24-1, 1 NC) squaring off with Rolando Romero (16-2). and Haney (31-0, 1 NC) taking on Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-2).
Also on the card, WBO welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez (21-1) fights interim champion Arnold Barboza (32-0) in a unification bout.
Garcia and Haney are stars in their own right, but their rivalry is likely to draw even more eyeballs to Times Square. The two engaged in a memorable 12-round contest in Brooklyn this past April that was surrounded by controversy. Garcia exhibited erratic behavior leading into the contest, then proceeded to miss weight, resulting in him having to pay Haney $600,000 to honor a pre-fight wager.
Then there was the fight itself, which saw Garcia score three knockdowns and win a majority decision, only for that result to be overturned to a no-contest when Garcia later failed a drug test. Though Garcia protested the test results, he accepted a plea deal and paid a $1.1 million fine and was given a one-year suspension from competition.
The event is expected to air live on pay-per-view, with broadcasters still to be announced.