“I told you they were just lying the whole time,” Romero said. “They just didn’t want to fight,” said Rolly to Fight Hub TV. “We’re putting up all the money. It’s a 50/50 split. Bet on yourself.”
He also disputed complaints over financial terms, saying his side was carrying the event and giving Haney’s team room to secure its share.
By holding out for a mega-payday that never arrived, Rolly managed to alienate the big names and frustrate the sanctioning bodies.
Rolly’s claim that he is “avoided” is a classic bit of Rolly spin. In boxing, “avoided” usually means a fighter is too dangerous for the money offered. In Rolly’s case, it’s more than his financial demands don’t match his actual drawing power.
Devin Haney is all about the “guarantee.” If Rolly couldn’t show him a massive, secured purse, Haney was never going to step in the ring just to split a percentage of a potentially soft gate.
A Haney fight had been discussed as one of the bigger options available to Romero, but nothing materialized. With no agreement reached, Romero used the interview to complain.
“I never want to hear them call me out again or bring me up. It’s dead. It’s done,” said Rolly about is hoped for fight against Haney.
Rolly was just as blunt when Benn’s name came up. Asked about the British contender, he responded negatively.
“Conor Benn is a future Hall of Famer because whoever knocks him out cold is going to be in the Hall of Fame,” said Rolly.
It’s the Sour Grapes fable playing out in real-time. Rolly spent months acting like Conor Benn was his ticket to a massive payday, especially when they were jawing at each other ringside at the Shakur-Teofimo fight.
Now that the grapes (the Benn fight) are out of reach because Benn chose the Regis Prograis route on the Zuffa card, Rolly has suddenly decided those grapes were rotten and not worth having anyway.
Avoiding Shakhram Giyasov for a year has done Rolly zero favors. Giyasov isn’t a household name, so there’s no massive money there, but he’s a high-skill, high-risk southpaw who could easily take that WBA belt. By stalling, Rolly has essentially frozen the division with that sanctioning body.
“I am still the most avoided champion in boxing,” said Romero.
Activity is important for a heel character like Rolly. To be a successful villain, you have to be relevant. Sitting out since May 2025 has made fans move on to more active personalities like Shakur Stevenson or even the resurgent Ryan Garcia.
Rolly is currently a champion in name only, holding a belt that he’s seemingly afraid to defend against his mandatory and unable to sell to the superstars.
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