WBA welterweight boxing world champion, Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero, has blasted time-wasters in the sport, including Manny Pacquiao.
Ever since Filipino fighting icon Pacquiao rolled back the years to take then-WBC title holder Mario Barrios to a decision, arguably deserving of a win rather than a draw, the eight-weight champion’s long-time representative Sean Gibbons, to Boxing Social and other reporters, dismissed a rematch with Barrios, and seemingly favored a shot at Romero’s belt, if such a fight could materialize.
Romero, meanwhile, has not fought since scoring the signature win of his career — a convincing defeat via decision of Ryan Garcia, whom he out-boxed with a measured and disciplined maturity in May, last year.
And, in comments on The Last Stand podcast to Brian Custer, Romero seems to intimate that while he was keen to fight, he got little of that same energy back from Pacquiao and his people.
“Pacquiao wasted my time.”
“[Pacquiao] wanted more money because he can’t sell anymore,” Romero said. “You can say whatever you want, but the thing is it was weird with Manny because they were super adamant about making the fight but they never wanted to do it.
“We tried and tried and tried but they still didn’t want to do it. But then they use my name and likeness over and over ‘we’re going to fight Rolly’ and me, honestly … I didn’t care for the fight.”
He said: “They all play big tough guy until it’s time to put a pen to the paper.”
Pacquiao, though, is not alone in wasting Romero’s time, according to Rolly himself. “Ryan wasted my time,” he said. “Conor Benn wasted my time.”
Romero has a 17-2 record with 13 wins by KO. The 20th fight of his pro career could come imminently as the fighter appears in advanced discussions with Devin Haney. The bout could take place in May.
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