Ryan Garcia knows he didn’t deliver.
On Friday, Garcia faced Rolly Romero in the main event of the Fatal Fury: City of Wolves fight card in Times Square in New York City. It was Garcia’s first fight back since his suspension for testing positive for Ostarine against Devin Haney in 2024, and in his return, “King Ryan” turned in a listless, frustrating performance.
Romero dropped Garcia in the second round, and despite urgency from his corner as the fight began slipping away, “King Ryan” never got out of first gear, losing a clear unanimous decision. Afterward, Garcia credited Romero for his performance, but also acknowledged that he did not give a good showing.
“Obviously, it wasn’t a good night for me,” Garcia said. “It was a pretty, pretty off night. Rolly did what he does. He had a lot of good power shots, caught me in the second round, but even at the start of the fight, I just didn’t feel like my feet were under me, like I had anything. But I tried to fight through it and just found myself very off after the year layoff.
“That whole year, it was a lot for me, mentally, as you guys know. So the fact that I got here and my mind is as clear as it is is a victory for me, I would say. But I’m extremely disappointed in the way I fought, and it definitely isn’t my best, in any way.”
While commentators were quick to suggest that the long time off may have affected Garcia’s performance, there’s also the matter of the venue. The Fatal Fury event took place in a walled-off section of Times Square with minimal fan attendance, very different than the normally packed arenas Garcia usually fights in front of.
“I really wasn’t a fan of that at all,” Garcia said of the unique environment. “It felt like a sparring match, and it felt like you could hear everybody. It just didn’t feel authentic to me. But no excuses. It is what it is.”
“It was just so weird because usually once you step in the ring, everything fades away,” Garcia added later. “This time I went in the ring and I could hear everything. ... Everybody just screaming stuff. I don’t know why I didn’t zone it out. It just felt like a weird fever dream. It was so awkward. Usually fights don’t feel that way.”
Garcia’s loss now raises questions about what comes next. Both he and Haney competed on Friday and were supposed to rematch next, but it’s unclear if Romero's win changes that. For those who want the rematch, the bright side is that while Haney won his fight with Jose Ramirez, he was far from impressive, meaning a loss may not upend the rematch entirely. But now there’s also the possibility of a Garcia rematch with Romero. And for his part, “King Ryan” is open to whatever fans want to see most.
“Whatever the fans want,” Garcia said. “If they want me to run it back with Rolly, let’s do it. If they want me to go straight for Devin, let’s do it. Styles make fights. I’m willing to fight either of them again.”
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