One of the more interesting fights that could have been made in the welterweight division has fallen through, and the WBA champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero told Fight Hub TV the details from his perspective in a new, no-holds-barred rant.
Romero references a time in which the Haney’s — both Devin, and his father/manager Bill — were apparently content if not happy with an offer Romero, through his team, had sent to fight. But they walked that back at the final hour.
For Rolly, this just means the Haney’s were “lying the whole time.”
It is proof, for Romero at least, that Haney is effectively ducking him. It’s, he said, “because Devin doesn’t have a chin.” He said: “They like to waste people’s time … those guys are deceitful, they lie nonstop.”
Romero added: “Everything that Devin and Bill touch gets shattered, every promotion company, because they cannot do anything, they cannot generate views, they cannot generate income for anybody and they know that. So they didn’t want to bet on themselves because, well, they know they are not worth anything.”
“I never want to hear them call me out again or bring me up or any of that stuff. It’s dead. There’s no ifs, ands, buts about it — it’s done.”
— Rolando Romero on botched fight negotiations with Devin Haney
Romero, who said he offered a 50/50 split, continued: “We’re putting up all the money, what more does he want?”
Together with the equal negotiations, perhaps because of Romero’s championship status and Haney’s name-value, Rolly said they even permitted their opponents to bring in whatever broadcast partner they wanted.
“It would’ve been Amazon and they could’ve brought in DAZN,” he said, “we gave them permission to bring on DAZN or whoever they want. It would’ve been Amazon/DAZN.”
That Haney has left the negotiation table is enough for Romero to feel like he is “literally the most avoided fighter in boxing.”
He said: “I’ve had five mega fights duck me. Conor Benn ducked me as clear as day, we had the whole deal set up. Another one is Ryan [Garcia], who disappeared. And then the [Manny] Pacquiao stuff disappeared.
“Pacquiao disappeared long before Floyd even came into the picture.”
“They’re all ducking me, every single one of them.”
