Former two-division champion Tim Bradley believes Ryan Garcia weakened his own position in negotiations for a fight with Devin Haney when he lost to Rolando “Rolly” Romero.
Bradley said the defeat changed how the rivalry is viewed and altered the leverage between the two sides. Garcia entered the Romero fight as a clear favorite on May 2 last year and was expected to win, but the result left his standing in a different place when discussions about Haney continued afterward. Bradley said losses at that level often affect how promoters and networks approach negotiations for future fights.
“Ryan Garcia was supposed to win that fight,” Bradley said on his channel about Ryan’s fight against Rolly last year. “He was a heavy favorite in that fight. But he didn’t.”
Bradley argued that the outcome placed greater attention on Haney’s accomplishments, which include winning titles in three weight divisions and capturing the undisputed championship at lightweight. In Bradley’s view, those achievements make it difficult to argue that Haney should concede ground when negotiations for a future fight are discussed. He said fighters who continue to win consistently usually hold stronger positions when major fights are negotiated.
“Dev has been putting in work,” Bradley said. “Three-division world champion. Undisputed.”
Bradley also dismissed claims circulating among fans that Haney is avoiding Garcia. He said the disagreement surrounding the fight is tied to negotiating position rather than fear of the matchup, and he pushed back strongly on the idea that Haney has ever turned down major challenges. Bradley added that criticism often ignores the business side of the sport, where fighters and promoters try to secure favorable terms before agreeing to major fights.
“All this talk about Devin Haney ducking, y’all gotta be out of your damn mind,” Bradley said.
A Haney–Garcia fight has been discussed for several years and continues to draw interest whenever either fighter competes. Bradley believes the fight will still happen at some stage, but he said Ryan must rebuild momentum in the ring before the rivalry reaches the point where both sides can agree on terms and move forward with the matchup.

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Last Updated on 2026/03/05 at 6:22 PM
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