29 fights, 27 KOs, only 2 escaped the count. A fight against Gervonta Davis is a genuine test of boxing prowess, skills, and temperament, and Isaac Cruz hanged in there and escaped the punishment. The fans have since lauded ‘Pitbull’. That’s a parameter that boxing fans have set for any boxer that faces ‘Tank’. However, there is more to it, as Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero explains.

‘Rolly’ Romero and ‘Pitbull’ face each other on March 30 with the super lightweight strap on the line. While the tensions are soaring, the two are claiming themselves as boxers of high caliber to justify their position at the top. But how do you put boxers in a category? By measuring their performances against a common but top opponent. Here, it’s ‘Tank’. However, Romero claims Davis was “confused” and “struggled” for one reason against Cruz.

Rolly Romero doesn’t believe Pitbull Cruz was better

The WBA champion shared his retelling of the story with the PBC. He disclosed that Davis’ injury hurt his chances against Cruz, and he failed to trigger his left hand. In addition, fighting a shorter opponent threw him off. Contrary to Cruz’s points loss, Romero was knocked out cold in round 6.

“Gervonta Davis when he fought Pibull Cruz, he was clearly injured and wasn’t throwing his left hand. And I think Gervonta had more of a struggle with him because Gervonta, for the first time in his whole life, fought someone who is actually shorter than him. It probably confused him more than anything,” Romero explained.

“Everybody says Pitbull Cruz did this and this. The only reason they say that Pitbull Cruz is good against Gervonta Davis is because Gervonta Davis didn’t knock him out. And with me, I was clearly dominating the whole fight,” Romero added with visible frustration. However, the American champion is grateful for the fight that helped him grow better not only as a boxer but also as a person. He spent a year alone, but he was again fighting for the world title against Ismael Barroso.

The Gervonta Davis fight that changed Romero’s life

The 15-1 record holder filtered people around him. “Because of that fight, I tend to understand him a bit more too… I owe him that, ’cause that’s more important to me than money,” Romero expressed in the Cigar Talk interview.

Moreover, Romero became more focused and clinched the title against Barroso, albeit controversially. He is now set to defend his crown against Isaac Cruz in Las Vegas and would look to add to and utilize his experience of fighting ‘Tank’. Meanwhile, coming into the fight with a close win against Giovanni Cabrera, Cruz is moving up a division in an endeavor to add a world title and improve his record to 26-2-1.

The first career loss for a boxer can be a devastating affair for them! However, for Rolly Romero, it seemed to have worked out in his favor. At least, that’s what he claims it did! So, Leonard Ellerbe turned to social media today, responding to Romero. Back in May 2022, Romero went toe to toe with Gervonta Davis and saw his record tarnished via loss.

So, while appearing in an interview with Cigar Talk on 15 February, the WBA super lightweight champion claimed, “It was like God flushed all the trash out of my life. Flushed every bit of trash out of my life.” He highlighted that money wasn’t the reason, stating, “I don’t give a s**t about money. Money is [going to] come regardless.” So, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions had some kind words for Romero!

Leonard Ellerbe claims a loss isn’t always a loss

It’s worth mentioning that Gervonta Davis had separated from Floyd Mayweather’s Money Team in 2022 before facing and defeating Romero via sixth-round stoppage. However, Davis and his prior promoters have remained on good terms. Ellerbe often supports and speaks highly of Davis as well.

So, when he discovered the clip of Romero’s interview with Cigar Talk, he penned a short message for the boxer. “Sometimes a loss is a win in real life,” wrote Ellerbe. The update comes a month before Romero will enter the ring against Davis’ former foe, Isaac Cruz, on March 30 in the undercard of Keith Thurman and Tim Tszyu. What’s more, even though Romero seems grateful about the ‘Tank’ fight now, back when he lost the fight – he had other ideas!

Rolly Romero wanted a rematch

During the post-fight press conference for the bout, Romero refused to believe that he had lost the fight! “I won all six rounds, I won every moment of that fight, I exposed him, and we need to run that s*** back,” said Romero! “I want Gervonta Davis again, I was winning that f***ing fight, and I just got hit with a clean shot, that’s all,” he continued.

“I want Gervonta Davis again, I exposed his a**, and everybody in this room knows it,” he added. Despite Romero’s claims about the loss, it didn’t convince Gervonta Davis that a rematch would change the outcome of the fight. Since Romero got knocked out so badly during the fight, Davis refused to give Romero a rematch.

A few years have passed since Rolly Romero suffered his first career loss at the hands of Gervonta Davis, and it seems to have given him a new perspective on the loss. Something Leonard Ellerbe seems to agree on! However, the question is, what do you think about Romeron claiming the Davis fight changed his life?