Oscar De La Hoya has little enthusiasm for a second meeting between Ryan Garcia and new WBA welterweight champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero and would rather steer his star toward a showdown with Teófimo López.
Speaking to DAZN at Saturday’s card in Chicago, the Golden Boy Promotions chairman dismissed talk of Garcia-Romero II. Their first encounter, on 2 May at Madison Square Garden, produced only 490 combined punches—one of the lowest outputs ever logged by CompuBox - and ended in a dull unanimous-decision win for Romero, who later became full WBA 147-lb title-holder when Jaron “Boots” Ennis vacated.
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“No, I actually don’t [want the rematch],” De La Hoya said. “The first fight was a dull fight. When you’re a promoter and you’re trying to make rematches, it’s because people want to see it.”
Instead, De La Hoya floated lineal and WBO junior-welterweight champion Teófimo López, who beat Arnold Barboza on the same 2 May card and generated most of the night’s excitement. “There are other big names out there, other big fights we can make with the likes of Teófimo,” he added. “First things first, I need Ryan to be in great health.”
Garcia has been inactive since the Romero defeat, while López remains atop the 140-lb division. Romero has welcomed a rematch but may have to wait if Golden Boy succeeds in moving Garcia toward López and away from a second, unappealing encounter.
Image Credit: DAZN