By Dan Ambrose: Promoter Oscar De La Hoya says his star Ryan Garcia will return to the ring in November “Better than ever.”
De La Hoya didn’t say who Ryan Garcia will be fighting in November, but it’s expected that it will be an older, notable, light-hitting contender from the 140-lb division.
Some believe it could be 34-year-old Jose Pedraza that might be the guy Golden Boy is looking at for Ryan.
Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs) is a former two-division world champion, but he’s looked like a fish out of water since moving up to 140 in 2019, losing to Jose Zepeda, Arnold Barboza Jr. and Jose Ramirez.
Still, Pedraza might be too technically polished for a green fighter like Ryan Garcia (23-1, 19 KOs) to face.
Update on Ryan Garcia
“Ryan Garcia is coming up; we’re getting his date ready,” Oscar De La Hoya said to DAZN last Saturday night when asked about the return of former lightweight contender Ryan Garcia, who hasn’t fought since his loss to Gervonta Davis last April.
“Mid-November, late November, he’ll be back stronger, better, wiser than ever; we’re looking forward to it.”
De La Hoya must be careful with whoever he chooses for Ryan’s next fight. Ryan needs a confidence booster, obviously, but one that can’t punch and won’t be able to get to his body to take advantage of his weakness in getting hit there.
What Oscar needs for Ryan is a fighter with a fragile mandible that he can take advantage of with his powerful left hook smash that he uses to win his fights.
Ryan has looked chinny in his fights with Tank, Luke Campbell, and Carlos Morales. It’s one thing Ryan getting hurt by Gervonta, but getting shaken up by Morales & Campbell, two non-punchers, is troubling and not a good sign, given that Kingry is now fighting at 140, a division loaded with big punchers from top to bottom.
For that fight, Ryan Garcia had a different coach, Joe Goosen, who subsequently was replaced by Derrick, so he’s expected to be a much different fighter for his next contest.
Does Ryan deserve a title shot?
WBA light welterweight champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero is the guy Ryan has talked about wanting to fight, but De La Hoya says he’s injured. Even if Rolly recovers by November, he has his WBA mandatory Ohara Davies that has been ordered.
If De La Hoya can persuade Ohara to step aside by making it worthwhile financially for him to do so, he might be amenable to letting Ryan face Rolly next. De La Hoya now promotes Ohara, so it’s quite possible Oscar can get him to step aside if he waves enough money under his nose to make that happen.
Ryan obviously doesn’t deserve to fight for a world title, as he’s coming off a loss and has never beaten a true 140-lb contender.
It would look bad if he were allowed to fight for a world title at light welterweight against arguably the weakest of the champions without facing someone like Richardson Hitchins, Gary Antuanne Russell, Arnold Barboza Jr., or Jose Ramirez.
His new trainer is retooling the 25-year-old Kingry’s game, Derrick James, in Dallas to improve his skills after his recent seventh round KO loss to Gervonta Davis last April.
When will @RyanGarcia return to the ring? 🤔@OscarDeLaHoya provides an update.#ZepedaGesta pic.twitter.com/yRHc8MflVH
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 17, 2023
