Turki Alalshikh just dropped some exciting news today—the highly-anticipated tripleheader featuring Ryan Garcia and Rolando Romero is officially set for May 2nd in Times Square, New York. This event will roll out just a day before Canelo Alvarez goes up against William Scull in Riyadh, adding even more thrill to the fight calendar.
Looking at the original card, the main showdown and the face-off between Devin Haney and Jose Ramirez are still on. Unfortunately, the Martin Bakole vs. Efe Ajagba match has been scratched off the schedule. With the brutal knockout still fresh, it’s no surprise they decided against such a quick return to the ring—it’s better not to push the limits of safety.
In a twist, Teofimo Lopez, boasting a record of 21-1 with 13 knockouts, will step in to defend his WBO super lightweight championship against Arnold Barboza Jr., who’s got an impressive 32-0 with 11 knockouts. Barboza recently snagged the interim belt from Jack Catterall. Lopez has been vocal about Barboza, often dismissing him while aiming for a unification bout with IBF champion Richardson Hitchins. However, he’ll start his journey with Riyadh Season by meeting his first mandatory challenge since seizing the belt from Josh Taylor last year.
This card really offers some intriguing matchups. Honestly, the clash between Romero and Garcia promises to be intense, especially if Garcia’s sharp left hook is on point. Meanwhile, Barboza might just have shown Haney the playbook for shutting down the experienced Ramirez.
