LOS ANGELES — Rolando Romero believes the big bags of money being thrown at fighters are working to the detriment of the sport and contributing to the recent run of lukewarm and listless performances.

Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) is fresh off a knockdown and unanimous decision win against Ryan Garcia in the main event of the Ring Magazine card in Times Square, New York on May 3. On the undercard, Devin Haney and Jose Ramirez stunk out the joint while Teofimo Lopez Jr. didn’t dazzle either in his win against Arnold Barboza Jr.

The following night, Canelo Alvarez and William Scull threw a combined 445 punches, the fewest in a 12-rounder in CompuBox’s 40-year history of tracking fights.

While Romero rocked plans for a rematch between Garcia and Haney — he said the disengaged Garcia was fighting to survive after getting dropped — Alvarez played it safe against the runner Scull to move forward with his Sept. 12 fight against Terence Crawford.

“This is coming from a fighter — you guys shouldn't be overpaying fighters,” Romero told The Ring and other media during a victory lap roundtable discussion.

“Because it then makes them not want to perform. Especially when you have fights already lined up next. It's sad because they are surviving for the next paycheck. It's been going on for a long time. It is messing up the sport. You have to do it like the UFC does. You have a [expletive] performance? [Expletive] y'all you're not getting any damn money.

“That's why it's taking away the hunger from these fighters. They have a guaranteed check, and that's why all of these [expletive] keep protecting their undefeated records. I have two losses in big fights. It's never derailed my career. I'm still here. They can't take me away. I keep coming back. Y'all think I am gone but I keep coming back again and again. That's because I have balls and I go after what I want, unlike these other dudes who protect their records because it's not enough money. I fight for belts and legacy. These guys only want to fight for money, and it's sad and destroying the sport.”