Romero, 30, stated that the offer had already been described publicly as favorable by Haney himself, which made the delay difficult for him to understand.
“He said it himself. He said it was a great offer,” Rolly said. “I don’t know what the big delay is on it.”
Rolly also joked about the situation while suggesting the hold-up might simply be the time it takes to review the paperwork. “You know, when you say it might take a little while to read that big word in that contract,” Rolly said.
Despite the lack of a signed agreement, Rolly indicated the fight is still being targeted for late spring if negotiations reach the finish line. “It’s looking like it might get done May 30 here in Las Vegas,” Rolly said.
Even if the fight is finalized, the matchup has not generated universal excitement among fans. Rolly has done little to build momentum since upsetting Ryan Garcia last year and is still remembered by many for knockout losses to Gervonta Davis and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz. A large portion of fans would rather see Haney pursue riskier fights against names such as Shakur Stevenson, Jaron “Boots” Ennis, or Xander Zayas instead of facing Rolly.
The situation also creates uncertainty around Rolly’s WBA welterweight title. Mandatory challenger Shakhram Giyasov has been waiting for his opportunity, and there has been no public explanation about whether the contender will be asked to step aside or if the sanctioning body intends to allow the fight to move ahead without enforcing the mandatory.
There is also a business incentive for Haney to pursue the bout. A win over Rolly would give him the WBA welterweight belt and strengthen his position in negotiations for a planned rematch with Ryan Garcia later this year, where Haney has already argued that he should be treated as the A-side.
Whether the fight moves forward now comes down to Haney signing the contract that Rolly says has been on the table for the past week.
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