Teofimo Lopez Jr. vs. Barboza Jr. Odds, Live Stream and Judges' Scorecards Prediction
The WBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight titles are at stake in the opening fight of Friday's DAZN pay-per-view card from Times Square when Teofimo Lopez Jr. defends against undefeated opponent Arnold Barboza Jr.
An intensely personal rivalry that has descended into physicality at pre-fight press conferences, it is the one on the card that feels as much like a grudge match as a championship clash.
A win for Lopez keeps him atop the boxing world at high weight class. A win for Barboza propels him to a new level of competition and notoriety.
Live Stream and Information
Date: Friday, May
Start Time: 6:00 p.m. EST
Location: Times Square, New York City
Streaming: DAZN pay-per-view
Prediction
The unpredictability of Lopez's offense is incredibly difficult for opponents to combat. He is constantly moving and attacking from angles few see coming. He will throw a jumping hook that is nearly impossible to defend.
When you add in a fairly substantial, four-inch reach advantage for the champion, it makes it even more difficult to try and contend with any and everything that might come Barboza's way.
An explosive attack like Lopez's makes it incredibly difficult to think about or plan a counterattack because of the suddenness and uncertainty of what comes next. That is why it is imperative to slow the fight down, stay guarded, and make the champion rethink his own strategy.
If Barboza becomes too reactionary to what Lopez throws at him, he opens himself up. Dictating the pace of the fight, keeping his guard up, and frustrating the sometimes frenetically paced Lopez into making a mistake is the challenger's clearest path to victory.
There is a path to victory for Barboza but it may prove to be too big an ask, even if he goes the distance.
Prediction: Lopez via unanimous decision
Devin Haney vs. Jose Ramirez Odds, Live Stream and KO, Judges' Scorecards Predictions
Redemption is the name of the game Friday night in Time Square when former champions Devin Haney and Jose Ramirez each look to regain their form and potentially enter championship contention with a win.
Haney was last seen competing against Ryan Garcia in the notorious fight that was initially ruled a loss before being switched to a no contest. Ramirez is looking to avenge a loss by unanimous decision to Arnold Barboza.
A competitive fight on paper, it is on the undercard for Garcia's return to the ring.
Live Stream and Information
Date: Friday, May 2
Start Time: 6:00 p.m. EST (main event walk-outs approximately 8:00 p.m.)
Location: Times Square, New York City
Streaming: DAZN pay-per-view
Prediction
Haney has the potential to be one of the best fighters in the sport when he is at his best. Strategically, he boxes opponents out, creating distance and rarely allowing his opponent to get too close. His counter-punching is one of his greatest attributes, as is his ability to stick and move. He should land more than he misses against Ramirez and lead the match in punches.
The question is whether his defensive shortcomings will prove the difference in the fight.
He struggles with punches from the left. That weakness was in full display in his first fight with Garcia and will doom him to defeat against Ramirez if he lets him land too many of them.
Luckily for Haney, it is his ability to dictate pace and prevent his opponent from getting close enough to rock him with those punches that will be key to victory for him.
If he can keep Ramirez from cutting off the ring and defend that left hook far better than he has previously, Haney wins easily. If he lets Ramirez get in on him, turn it into a fight of body shots, and rock him once or twice, all bets are off.
A fight between two patient boxers who will not get suckered into an exchange of haymakers, this feels like one destined to be decided by a judge's scorecard.
If so, Haney wins and potentially sets in motion a rematch with Garcia.
Prediction: Haney wins via unanimous decision
Ryan Garcia vs. Rolly Romero Odds, Live Stream and KO, Judges' Scorecards Predictions
Ryan Garcia returns to the ring for the first time in a year Friday night when he battles Rolando "Rolly" Romero in the main event of a stacked card live from Times Square in the heart of New York City.
For Garcia, the fight is a shot at redemption following a year of controversy while Romero will look to secure the biggest victory of his career on a relatively large stage.
When can fans tune in, check out the action, and find out who will win what has all of the trappings of a dynamic, potentially blockbuster main event?
Let's take a look.
Live Stream and Information
Date: Friday, May 2
Start Time: 6:00 p.m. EST (main event walk-outs approximately 8:00 p.m.)
Location: Times Square, New York City
Streaming: DAZN pay-per-view
Prediction
It will be interesting to see how moving up 12 pounds to welterweight has affected Romero and his chances in Friday's fight. A fighter with 13 knockouts to his name and has been defined by the hardness of his punches, it remains to be seen if he will carry that same power at the next weight class.
Meanwhile, Garcia is larger and faster and has been able to carry his own power at that weight class for some time now. That natural size advantage could very well be the difference in the fight, especially if he can use his speed to avoid the devastating KO blows that have helped Romero to a 16-2 record.
It will have to as Garcia has noted defensive shortcomings that Romero could exploit to his advantage and descend the fight into a bomb-throwing slugfest early on but if he can keep his opponent from dictating the pace and style of the fight, Garcia should win this match.
Given the dynamite potential of this contest, do not expect it to go the distance or come down to a judge's decision. After a spirited and energetic first couple of rounds, Garcia shuts it down, scores a knockout, and stands victoriously to close out his return to the sport.
Prediction Garcia wins by knockout
Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney Make Weight for Fights on Times Square Boxing Card
The boxing tripleheader in New York City's Times Square on Friday night is officially set after Thursday's weigh-ins.
Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez Jr. all made weight for their respective bouts, per ESPN's Andreas Hale.
Garcia weighed in at 146.8 pounds for his welterweight main event fight against Rolando "Rolly" Romero (146.6 pounds).
Haney weighed in at 143 pounds for his 144-pound catchweight fight against Jose Ramirez (143.8). Lopez, who will be defending his WBO junior welterweight title, weighed in at 139.6 pounds for his matchup against interim titleholder Arnold Barboza Jr. (139.8).
Friday's main event will be Garcia's first time in the ring since his decision win over Haney last year. He scored four knockdowns in arguably the most impressive performance of his career, but his successful night quickly turned into a nightmare situation.
Garcia's win was overturned to a no contest after he tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug Ostarine. The New York State Athletic Commission suspended him for a year before recently reinstating him for Friday's fight against Romero. In addition to his suspension, he also forfeited a fraction of his fight purse to Haney for weighing in 3.2 pounds over the contracted weight of 140 pounds.
Haney also hasn't fought since facing Garcia last year, but his undefeated record is still intact after the fight was ruled a no contest. Hale noted that if both Garcia and Haney are successful on Friday night, "the expectation is that they will face off in a highly anticipated rematch later this year."
Lopez last competed in June when he earned a decision win over Steve Claggett to retain his junior welterweight crown. Barboza became the interim champion after defeating Jack Catterall by split decision in February.
Friday's event will mark the first time that a boxing event will be held outdoors in New York City, so these boxers will surely be looking to put on a show in front of excited fans in Times Square.
Ryan Garcia Expects Fight Against 'Wild Card' Jake Paul to Happen 'Sooner or Later'
Ahead of his main event fight against Rolando "Rolly" Romero in Times Square on Friday, Ryan Garcia made it clear that he believes a future match against Jake Paul is inevitable.
"I mean, he’s going to run out of opponents," Garcia told Josh Peter of USA TODAY Sports. "There's only so many 40-year-old dudes out there in the world that have a name. So he's going to have to come through me sooner or later."
Paul, who fought the 58-year-old Mike Tyson on Netflix in November, is scheduled to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on June 28. Rather than the 31-year age difference from his fight against Tyson, the 28-year-old Paul will only be 11 years younger than the 39-year-old Chavez.
Garcia, who stands at 5'9" and fights at 147 pounds, would have a significant size disadvantage against the 6'1" Paul, who weighed in at 228 pounds for his fight against Tyson. Still, that never stopped Paul from calling out smaller opponents, as he previously teased a possible fight against Gervonta "Tank" Davis, a former opponent of Garcia who also competes at 147 pounds.
"If he could fight Tank Davis, he could fight me," Garcia said. "Davis is smaller than me. I'm the one that taught (Paul) boxing, so he has to see me."
When asked if he considers Paul a legitimate boxer, Garcia admitted that he doesn't necessarily think it's an apt title for the YouTuber.
"He's a wild card. I mean, I don't know if he's a boxer," Garcia said. "At the end of the day, he's never fought in a ranked match at his weight class. I don't even know what his weight class is. I don't know if it’s heavyweight. I don't know. It's cruiserweight. I don't know what his weight class is, so can't really say that he's legitimate. But he's had a lot of big fights because of who he is."
Rolly Romero Upsets Ryan Garcia By Unanimous Decision in Times Square Boxing Fight
Rolly Romero staged a massive upset over Ryan Garcia on Friday, winning via unanimous decision (115-112, 115-112, 118-109) in New York City's Times Square.
Per DraftKings, Garcia was a -1100 favorite ($1,100 bet to win $100) going into the evening. But Romero shocked fans with a phenomenal performance, which included a knockdown.
CompuBox provided the details. Like the Devin Haney vs. José Ramírez fight beforehand, there weren't many punches thrown. But it's clear Romero was the better fighter on this night, as exemplified by his body shots.
This fight marked Garcia's first match since the New York State Athletic Commission suspended him for a failed drug test due to ostarine following his April 2024 decision win over Devin Haney. His return was part of a spectacle at an outdoor ring in Times Square. Garcia vs. Romero closed the five-fight card.
Garcia rolled to the ring with great confidence and walked out of a Batmobile before the match.
However, the 29-year-old Romero exited the ring as the winner on this evening, moving to 17-2 lifetime. The 26-year-old Garcia fell to 24-2 with one no-contest.
Mike Tyson to Be Guest Analyst for Fatal Fury Fight Card, Featuring Haney, Garcia
When Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and others step into the ring for the Fatal Fury Fight Card in New York on Friday, a boxing legend will be on the call for the fights.
Mike Tyson revealed on social media that he'll be a guest analyst for the fight in Times Square.
"Can’t wait! I’ll be there in Times Square as guest analyst," he wrote.
It's unclear whether Tyson, who stepped back in the ring in November for an exhibition against Jake Paul, will serve as an analyst for all three fights or just the main events.
The fight between Ryan Garcia and Rolly Romero is the main event, with Devin Haney and Jose Ramirez's fight being the co-main event. Teofimo Lopez and Arnold Barboza Jr. will also square off for the WBO World Super Lightweight title.
The fight for Garcia marks his first time since stepping into the ring since a fight against his rival Haney last April. While Garcia emerged victorious from that fight, it was later ruled a no-contest after he failed a drug test.
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois Rematch Fight Set for Undisputed Heavyweight Title
Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois will meet again this year to determine the undisputed heavyweight champion.
Per BBC Sports' Bobbie Jackson, the two will square off at Wembley Stadium on July 19. Usyk and Dubois last met in August of 2023 when Usyk won via a ninth-round stoppage.
Usyk, 38, has a 23-0 record with 14 knockouts, his most recent win coming against Tyson Fury in 12 rounds in December.
He currently holds the WBC, WBA and WBO belts and can become the four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion for the second time in his career with a win over Dubois. Usyk won the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles in 2021 when he defeated Anthony Joshua in a unanimous decision.
Dubois, 27, has a 22-2 career record with 21 knockouts. Since losing to Usyk in 2023, he's won three consecutive fights against Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgović and Anthony Joshua, the most recent coming in September of last year. The only other loss of his career came against Joe Joyce in 2020.
Usyk and Dubois' fight in 2023 ended under controversial circumstances as Dubois was knocked out in the ninth round after recovering from what was ruled a low blow by the official.
"I should have won the first fight and was denied by the judgement of the referee, so I will make no mistake this time around in front of my people at the national stadium in my home city," Dubois said, per Reuters.
"I am a superior and more dangerous fighter now and Usyk will find this out for himself on July 19."
Usyk's win over Dubois gave him the WBA, IBF and WBO belts and set him up to become the undisputed champion when he beat Fury in May of last year.
"I'm grateful to God for the opportunity to once again fight for the undisputed championship," Usyk, who has a 23-0 record, said in the statement. "Thank you, Daniel, for taking care of my IBF belt — now I want it back."