Rolly Romero Responds to Claressa Shields Fight Call-Out

The Original Call-Out

Rolly's rant was spurred by a challenge coming from the two-division undisputed women's boxing champion Claressa Shields, who recently threw her name into the ring for a potential sparring session with WBA welterweight champion (via Claressa Gwoat Shields on X):

He pointed to his upcoming negotiations with Devin Haney as the primary focus, suggesting that trading punches with a fighter two weight classes below him, regardless of her legendary status, does nothing to advance his career. 

Rolly Stands By His Words

During the podcast, Rick Reeno reminded Romero of Shields' previous call-out to Keith Thurman three years ago, a comparison that left the WBA champion equally puzzled. "Yeah, I never understood that one either," Romero admitted. "But at the end of the day, I don't care. She and I will never be in a ring."

Romero made it abundantly clear that his refusal to engage with Shields stems from principle rather than fear, emphasizing that the gender divide in combat sports exists for legitimate reasons.

"I do not hit women," Romero stated firmly. "She's great. She's great, but there are males and females, and it's divided for a reason."

The timing of Shields' call-out is particularly interesting, as Romero has been vocal about his frustration with fighters he claims are wasting his time. 

In recent social media posts, Rolly has blasted the likes of Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Manny Pacquiao for engaging in public call-outs that never materialized into signed contracts (via Rolly Romero on X):

He echoed that sentiment when discussing the GWOAT's challenge, suggesting that social media spars are often used by fighters to stay relevant without any real intention of stepping into the ring. 

How Likely Is this Sparring Match?

Despite the playful nature of the challenge, the logistics of such a sparring session remain highly unlikely given their current career trajectories. 

In addition to his promise that he will never be in a ring with Shields, Romero is deep in negotiations for a May 30 unification clash with Devin Haney at the Barclays Center.

Shields, on the other hand, has her own plans following her dominant 100-90 shutout victory over Franchon Crews-Dezurn in Detroit. 

She has made it clear she intends to fight twice more in 2026, with names like Shadasia Green at the top of her list (via InsideRingShow on X):

While the prospect of an intergender spar is a tantalizing topic for podcasts and social media, Shields' immediate future lies in cleaning out her own super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

Rolly ultimately seems to view the challenge as a novelty rather than a legitimate professional opportunity. 

He is currently riding the high of his victory over Ryan Garcia and is eager to prove that his win over "King Ryan" was no fluke by adding Haney's WBO belt to his collection.

As a potential fight date approaches, Rolly is likely to keep his training camp strictly professional, leaving the crossover spectacle for another day. For now, the ball is in the court of the promoters to finalize Haney vs. Romero, while Shields will continue her reign as the face of women's boxing. 

Whether these two champions ever share a ring, even for a friendly spar, remains one of the sport's most intriguing "what ifs," but don't expect Rolly to bite on that bait anytime soon.