By Dan Ambrose: Jorge Linares (47-5 29 KOs) says he’s very happy that Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy is going to give him the opportunity to face Ryan ‘Kingry’ Garcia next July at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Linares 34, obviously knows that Garcia is already looking past him towards fights against Luke Campbell and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, but he’s got a surprise for him. He expects to beat the young 21-year-old upstart Garcia.
The two fighters shared the same card last Friday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Both guys looked incredible with their knockout victories. While Garcia stopped Francisco Fonseca (25-3-2, 19 KOs) in the 1st round, Linares destroyed Carlos Morales (19-5-4, 8 KOs) in the 4th round on the card.
The speed, combination punching and the right hands from Linares were too much for Morales. Although Ryan scored a faster knockout on the night, Linares was no less impressive in his performance.
Jorge Linares happy to fight Ryan Garcia in July
“Maybe one day, yeah,” said Linares to Fino Boxing about a rematch with Lomachenko. “I have a good connection with Lomachenko in camp, and I saw him last time at the WBO convention in Japan. He wants the fight too, and I want the fight too. And now, I’m a little down, and he’s at the top.
So I need to go up, and I did an amazing fight tonight. So maybe the next fight or the next fight, you never know? Maybe next year, but I’m ready for that too. I want,” said Linares when told that Oscar De La Hoya wants him to fight Ryan Garcia in July.
“I’m so happy that happened. And I’m ready for that, and I told Oscar already, ‘Let’s do it.’ Let’s make that fight. I’m so happy with him and so happy with Golden Boy and DAZN for the opportunity. If that fight happens, I’m ready for that.” said Linares about a fight against Ryan Garcia.
It obviously doesn’t sit well with the former three-division world champion Linares to be overlooked by Ryan the way is, but that’s typical of the young fighter. Ryan believes he can beat anyone, so it’s not all that surprising that he views the highly accomplished Linares as just another opponent that he plans on knocking out on the night.
Ryan hasn’t fought anyone with the same kind of talent that Linares has going for him, and he could have problems landing his shots. Linares has noticed that Garcia likes to throw a lot of left hooks, but he doesn’t see himself getting hit with those shots when he faces him.
Linares says Ryan Garcia will be surprised with his talent
“It’s my time right now. I think so,” said Linares when asked if Ryan will be surprised with his talent. “When he was fighting with [Carlos] Morales, he never knocked him down. It’s 10 rounds, right? I knocked him [Morales] down, and I finished the fight really quick. But you never know.
“He’s a boxer, and I’m a boxer too,” said Linares on a fight against Ryan. “We’ll see. Maybe that fight will happen. He had a beautiful hook, and it’s very fast. It’s strong. But come on, with me it’s a different story, you know what I mean? We’ll see,” said Linares.
A win for Linares over Ryan could open some doors for bigger fights against the likes of Vasili Lomachenko. That’s who Linares wants to face, as he was stopped by him in the 10th round in 2018. Linares had his moments in the fight in dropping Lomachenko in the 6th round from a big right hand.
De La Hoya urges Mayweather to make Tank Davis vs. Ryan Garcia
“He against Tank Davis in his first world title fight at the end of the year would be huge,” said De La Hoya to REAL 92.3 LA about a fight between Ryan Garcia and Tank Davis. “Floyd Mayweather is his promoter, Tank Davis. So come on, Floyd. Let’s do it. Ryan vs. Tank, it would be huge.
“It would be Floyd-De La Hoya 2. He [Ryan] wants a world title, but he wants Davis. He wants Tank, and he’s the toughest guy out there. Floyd, I commend him for doing a great job with his promotion. Let’s make this fight happen. That fight would be HUGE,” said De La Hoya.
It’s easy to believe that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will choose to keep Gervonta fighting other guys rather than Ryan Garcia. It would be best for Ryan and De La Hoya not to look so needy when it comes to Tank Davis because that could lead to Floyd digging in his heels and choosing not to make that fight.
An easier fight for Golden Boy to make would be Ryan vs. Devin Haney. Devin’s promoters at Matchroom will have no problems matching him against Ryan, and it would make money.
