Ryan Garcia denies he’s fighting Pacquiao next

By Boxing News - 06/01/2023 - Comments

By Matt Lieberman: Ryan Garcia took to social media today to deny that he plans on fighting Manny Pacquiao. Earlier, Ryan’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya, told the media that the 44-year-old Pacquiao is a “very real option” for Kingry’s summer fight.

In reaction to De La Hoya’s comment, Ryan posted on Twitter, saying, “This isn’t happening. I said what I wanted.”

Ryan’s small list of fighters isn’t A-level guys, but neither is he. It would be one thing if Ryan were rejecting the fight against Pacquiao in favor of Regis Prograis, Subriel Matias, or Josh Taylor, but those aren’t the guys he’s looking at facing next.

Ryan’s three-fighter list

  • Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero
  • Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz
  • Teofimo Lopez

As bad as this list is, Ryan likely loses to all three of them because they can punch, and they’ll be sure to target his bread basket, knowing that he’s vulnerable to the body.

You can’t blame De La Hoya for wanting Pacquiao for Ryan Garcia to fight next because Rolly, Pitbull  Cruz, and Teofimo aren’t PPV fighters.

Although Rolly was involved in a pay-per-view bout last year when he fought Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, he was just the B-side opponent, picked out by Mayweather Promotions because he was one of their fighters in their stable.

If DAZN or Showtime chooses to place the fight behind a pay-per-view firewall, Ryan vs. Rolly won’t sell. Ryan likely wants Rolly because he’s the weakest link among the champion at 140 and the only one he has a real chance of beating.

Isaac Cruz isn’t popular either, and there’s a good chance he’ll beat Ryan and wreck his career.

“It’s a very real option for both guys because imagine Ryan Garcia – Manny Pacquiao fight at a catchweight, can be the biggest fight for both guys,” said Oscar De La Hoya to Fight Hub TV.

“Manny’s a small guy to start off with. All his weight
in is is in his Calves. He’s got big calves, strong calves, but yeah, I can see that fight happening at 142, 143, maybe.

“Ryan Garcia is a big kid, but that’s alongside Rolly and alongside a ‘Pit Bull. and Teofimo Lopez, who Ryan Garcia mentioned. I think Manny Pacquiao is the biggest fight that can be made.

“Well, it all depends on what Ryan is feeling,” said De La Hoya when asked if Ryan would take a tune-up. We all know that he doesn’t like tune-ups. He didn’t have a tune-up before Gervonta Davis, so it all depends on when we sit down and figure out what he wants to do. We’re hoping by September or October he can come back and fight.

“We were from one fighter to another just shooting the breeze,” said De La Hoya when asked if he spoke about Ryan Garcia when he talked to Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero recently.

“Rolly’s a fun fighter to watch. Him and Ryan would be a very entertaining fight, but the biggest fight out there for Ryan
would be a Manny Pacquiao,” said De La Hoya.

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