Ryan Garcia isn’t short on confidence as he prepares to return to the ring following his controversial clash against Devin Haney.

After serving a one-year suspension due to testing positive for the performance enhancing drug ostarine, Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) will headline a Ring Magazine card on May 2 in Times Square, New York against Rolando Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) in a welterweight fight on DAZN pay per view.

“The layoff was boring,” Garcia told The Ring in an interview. “I love to fight. I would have loved to do at least one more fight after the Haney fight instead of sitting on the sidelines, but you know how the thing went down.”

The saga with Haney will forever be ingrained in Garcia’s resume.

Garcia came into the Haney fight after an uneven buildup that featured questionable behavior and then weighed 3.2 pounds over the 140-pound limit and wasn't able to fight for Haney’s WBC title. During the contest, Garcia landed his whipping left hook with ease and knocked down Haney three times. Garcia was awarded a majority decision win only to have it ruled a No Contest after it was revealed he tested positive for the PED. Garcia was suspended and fined, and Haney sued him for battery, breach of contract, and fraud.

“Honestly, I know I didn't take steroids, and I know [a rematch is] not going to be much different,” said Garcia. “The crazy thing is that they keep on saying, 'It's because of the PEDs [that I beat him].’ PEDs don't help you block a left hook. He didn't block any of it. He got his ass handed to him. For me, it's proving that I will do it again.”

Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) makes his return in the co-main event on May 2 against former unified junior welterweight champion Jose Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs).

If Garcia and Haney are both victorious, the expectation is for them to square off later this year for the much-anticipated sequel.

“This is a completely different fight for me [against Romero],” said Garcia. “Just stay disciplined; don't try too much. Rolly is going to give you everything you want. I'm just going to let the fight come to me and I’m going to take over. I’m an all-around better fighter and it's going to show in the fight.

“It's not about the rounds. I just want to feel good and feel sharp. If I get him out of there in one, two, or three, it doesn't matter to me. For me it's just feeling sharp in camp and in the ring and being confident to give everyone what they really want, which is the Haney rematch.”