‘Stop Overpaying Fighters,’ Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero Makes A Surprising Statement Ahead of The Teofimo Lopez Fight

Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) has earned almost $15 million in earnings across his professional boxing career. And now, as he prepares to earn an undisclosed (yet undoubtedly hefty) purse against Teofimo Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs), he has something rather surprising to say: ‘Stop paying boxers so damn much.’

Talking to ESPN, he admitted that he has started caring less about money, as his career progressed.

“I care less about money. I’m here for the sport of boxing. I’m here to grow the sport of boxing,” he said. “The real reason boxing is dying is overpaying these dudes for fights that they shouldn’t be getting paid this much for.”

Romero was unusually blunt about what he sees as one of boxing’s biggest problems: fighters getting paid so much guaranteed money that some no longer have the incentive to take risks once they are inside the ring. The numbers behind his argument are certainly eye-catching. Tyson Fury reportedly earned around $100 million guaranteed for his first fight with Oleksandr Usyk, while Canelo Alvarez was reported to have made more than $100 million (and potentially around $150 million) for his 2025 showdown with Terence Crawford.

Even at a lower level, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol reportedly received $10 million apiece for their 2024 undisputed light-heavyweight clash, enormous paydays compared with their previous career highs. In Romero’s words, the issue isn’t that elite fighters shouldn’t be paid handsomely; it’s that guaranteed fortunes can remove the hunger that once made boxing so compelling.

“It contributes nothing to the sport, and now all the younger dudes, it’s taking away from them. It’s just no good, bro. I don’t like it. Stop overpaying fighters and that’s coming from a fighter, a real-life fighter. Stop overpaying fighters,” he said.

“Just Doing A Money Grab”

There is one name that has apparently lost his respect for this very reason: Alvarez. Talking during the same interview, he revealed that paying Alvarez a purported $400 million for a fight that does nothing for boxing was disrespectful.

“I think Canelo’s lost the last bit of respect he had as a boxer. Why has he not fought David Benavidez? This [Mbilli bout] is clearly just a cash grab. I have no words for Canelo. He’s not boxing to get belts; he’s just doing a money grab. I can’t stand fighters who just do money grabs. Bro, at this point, retire and let young fighters use that money. I’m all for people making their money, but contributing to the sport, too,” he said.

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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