Ryan Garcia and Rolando Romero will headline a card presented by The Ring in New York’s Times Square for the WBA “world” welterweight title on May 2.

Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) and Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) were on track to fight last year but Garcia instructed his team to cancel negotiations for a matchup against Devin Haney.

Garcia and Haney faced off on April 20 in a highly controversial bout. Leading up to the fight, tensions ran high during a tumultuous promotional tour, and Garcia missed the 140-pound weight limit by 3.2 pounds, making him ineligible to compete for Haney’s WBC junior welterweight title.

During the match, Garcia knocked Haney down three times and secured a majority decision victory. However, it was later revealed that Garcia tested positive for the PED ostarine. As a result, the decision was overturned to a No Contest, Garcia received a one-year suspension and a fine, and Haney took legal action against him, filing a lawsuit for battery, fraud, and breach of contract.

Garcia is ready to turn the page and seek revenge.

"I'm feeling really good and excited to be back in the ring,” Garcia told The Ring. “I'm excited to be a part of a huge event. I am just thankful for this opportunity.

"I think my experience and overall abilities are much better than [Romero]. I think he's going to come and fight hard because he has a great opportunity. He's confident against me. I think we're going to see a good fight but ultimately I am going to knock him out.

“Probability wise, yeah, like 90% [it's going to be a knockout].

“Not really [he hasn't evolved as a fighter] to be honest. I see him making a lot of the same mistakes, fighting the same. He hasn't really made that many adjustments. His chin has gotten a lot weaker.”

Once negotiations broke off against Garcia, Romero faced Isaac Cruz last March and was stopped in the eighth round. Rolly relinquished the WBA 140-pound title in the fight, a belt he picked up after a controversial stoppage win against Ismael Barroso in May 2023.

Since the Cruz contest, Romero has bounced back with a unanimous decision victory over Manuel Jaimes in September.

The only other loss of Romero’s career came against Gervonta Davis by a one-punch knockout in the sixth round of their 2022 meeting.