World champion boxer Rolly Romero has voiced his dissatisfaction with legendary fighter Manny Pacquiao following the breakdown of their proposed fight. Romero, the WBA welterweight champion, asserts that he is “the most avoided fighter in boxing.” He attributes this label to a series of missed opportunities for significant bouts, including a stalled negotiation with Pacquiao, which has led to a year of inactivity and his current self-imposed “retirement.” Romero emphasizes that his pursuit is for legacy rather than solely financial gain, noting the persistent buzz around his name in the sport despite fights consistently failing to materialize.
Romero candidly described his current career situation, stating, “I’m ducked by everybody. I’m the only champion in history who’s been ducked for five megafights. It’s unheard of. But I’m a bum? With a belt and a high ticket payday? Something’s not adding up.” He further elaborated in an interview with ToonieBet, “They’re all scared. We offered them all great deals, great splits, everything. They even acknowledged it was good money, but they don’t want to fight. They get scared. I am the most avoided fighter in boxing.”
He believes that rival camps have intentionally kept him waiting, allowing public interest in him to grow. Romero’s argument suggests that the discrepancy between public statements and actual negotiation outcomes has become the defining narrative of his career, especially after his high-profile victory over Ryan Garcia.
Rolly Romero Claims Manny Pacquiao Fight Fell Apart After Two Months of Talks
A significant source of Romero’s frustration stems from the failed negotiations with Manny Pacquiao. Reports from October 2025 indicated that discussions for a January fight between Pacquiao and Romero had commenced. Later, other outlets reported that the WBA had mandated Romero to face mandatory challenger Shakhram Giyasov. By early 2026, coverage suggested that the Pacquiao talks had collapsed due to the sanctioning body’s refusal to postpone Giyasov’s mandatory bout.
Romero has since directed his criticism towards Pacquiao’s team, stating, “We negotiated the Pacquiao fight for two months. He kept asking for more money even though he couldn’t generate what he was asking for. Then the fight collapsed and later everyone blamed Floyd Mayweather for taking the fight. Floyd didn’t take my fight. The deal was already dead. They just used me for clout.” This account aligns with subsequent reports indicating that the deal never finalized and that Romero’s team also sought an exception from the WBA to prioritize the Pacquiao bout.
Romero has also characterized himself as retired, although he clarifies it’s not by choice. “As of right now, I am retired. I am a retired investor on a pension,” he said. He added, “It’s not my fault that I’m retired now. I’m not the one choosing to be retired. I don’t box for money. I box because I want to be champion. I like being champion. I want to go to the Hall of Fame.”
This perspective helps explain the tone of his recent statements. Rather than presenting his retirement as a definitive end, Romero appears to be using it as a critique of his current career trajectory: a titleholder with public appeal but no active fights. Currently, the situation leaves a champion feeling sidelined, yet still insistent on facing the sport’s biggest names.
English Translation:
A world champion boxer is expressing his displeasure with the legendary Manny Pacquiao after their anticipated fight talks fell apart. Rolly Romero, the WBA welterweight champion, claims he is “the most avoided fighter in boxing.” He frames this assertion around a series of missed major fight opportunities, including a stalled deal with Manny Pacquiao, which has resulted in a year of inactivity and him now referring to himself as “retired.” The champion also maintains that he is pursuing legacy, not just financial gain, and notes that the sport continues to discuss him while fights consistently fail to materialize.
Romero was direct in his assessment of his current career. “I’m being ducked by everyone. I’m the only champion in history who has been ducked for five megafights. It’s unheard of. But I’m a bum? With a belt and a high ticket payday? Something doesn’t add up,” he stated. In an interview with ToonieBet, he added, “They’re all scared. We offered them all great deals, great splits, everything. They even acknowledged it was good money, but they don’t want to fight. They get scared. I am the most avoided fighter in boxing.”
He believes that rival camps have deliberately kept him waiting while public interest in him has grown. Romero’s argument is that the disconnect between what is said in interviews and what transpires at the negotiating table has become the defining story of his career, particularly following his high-profile win against Ryan Garcia.
Rolly Romero Claims Manny Pacquiao Fight Collapsed After Two Months of Discussions
A significant factor in Romero’s frustration is the unsuccessful negotiation for a fight with Manny Pacquiao. ESPN reported in October 2025 that talks for a January fight between Pacquiao and Romero had commenced. Later, other outlets reported that the WBA had ordered Romero to face mandatory challenger Shakhram Giyasov instead. Coverage in early 2026 indicated that the Pacquiao talks had collapsed after the sanctioning body refused to move Giyasov aside.
Romero has since targeted Pacquiao’s team. “We negotiated the Pacquiao fight for two months. He kept asking for more money even though he couldn’t generate what he was asking for. Then the fight collapsed and later everyone blamed Floyd Mayweather for taking the fight. Floyd didn’t take my fight. The deal was already dead. They just used me for clout,” he said. This account aligns with later reports that the deal never became final and that Romero’s team also sought an exception from the WBA to allow the Pacquiao bout to occur first.
Romero has also described himself as retired, though he states it is not his choice. “As of right now, I am retired. I am a retired investor on a pension,” he commented. He followed this by saying, “It’s not my fault that I’m retired now. I’m not the one choosing to be retired. I don’t box for money. I box because I want to be champion. I like being champion. I want to go to the Hall of Fame.”
This stance helps explain the tone of his recent remarks. Rather than presenting retirement as a final exit, Romero appears to be using it as a criticism of the current state of his career: a titleholder, a public draw, but without a fight in place. For now, the result is a champion who feels frozen out while still insisting he wants the biggest names available.
