Boxing Wire

Tag: Ryan Garcia

  • Oscar De La Hoya Wants Ryan Garcia To Face World Champion Next

    Oscar De La Hoya Wants Ryan Garcia To Face World Champion Next

    Ryan Garcia is being targeted for a fight against a world champion by Oscar De La Hoya after Garcia’s recent victory over Mario Barrios. Garcia defeated Barrios by unanimous decision on February 20th, 2026, in Las Vegas to win the WBC welterweight title.

    De La Hoya’s ambitious plans aim to solidify Garcia’s position in boxing. Garcia is the current WBC welterweight champion and is ranked #6 in the WBA welterweight rankings as of December 2025. No mandatory challenger is currently in place for Garcia’s WBC title, giving him flexibility for his first title defense.

    De La Hoya’s Vision

    De La Hoya’s statement emphasizes his determination to secure a high-profile fight for Garcia. Speaking to DAZN, he said:

    “I actually like the rematch with Devin Haney. There’s a lot of talk, a lot of chatter right now. I think Devin Haney actually does deserve the rematch, just because he’s been talking a lot and his last performance was a really good performance.

    “What Ryan did in his last fight with Barrios, obviously a world champion, [it means] he’s back, better than ever mentally, physically. I’d love to see that rematch, Haney vs Ryan Garcia.”

    De La Hoya then urged Haney not to take a bout with WBA champion Rolly Romero and instead face Garcia.

    “Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney makes all the sense in the world, do not take a tune up, let’s make this fight happen.”

    Potential opponents discussed include Shakur Stevenson, Devin Haney, and Conor Benn. Josh Kelly has also called out Garcia for a super welterweight title fight.

    Garcia previously lost a unanimous decision to Rolando Romero for the WBA welterweight title last year. Immediately after defeating Barrios, Garcia had also called out Shakur Stevenson.

  • Ryan Garcia Calls Out Keyshawn Davis at Miami Party

    Ryan Garcia Calls Out Keyshawn Davis at Miami Party

    Ryan Garcia confronted Keyshawn Davis at a Miami afterparty Saturday night, stepping face-to-face with the undefeated contender and demanding he “face up” in an exchange that immediately went viral across boxing social media.

    No physical altercation occurred, but the confrontation served as a loud statement of intent. Garcia, the WBC welterweight champion, has been seeking marquee matchups amid ongoing promotional uncertainty.

    Davis, the 27-year-old former WBO lightweight champion, has been publicly targeting the sport’s biggest names since returning from nearly a year-long absence with a win over Jamaine Ortiz in January.

    Davis Eyeing a Move to Welterweight

    Davis, promoted by Top Rank, has made no secret of his desire to challenge either Garcia or Devin Haney at 147 pounds.

    The Miami confrontation gave that ambition a highly public exclamation point. Whether it becomes an actual bout depends on the two fighters’ competing promotional situations — Garcia’s remains unsettled — but the bad blood now has a face and a setting.

    Also complicating the picture: Arnold Barboza Jr., who made a dominant welterweight debut of his own Saturday night in Anaheim, addressed Davis in his post-fight interview and indicated he’d welcome the matchup if Davis makes the move up from lightweight.

    The welterweight division suddenly has no shortage of fighters calling each other out.

  • Devin Haney Fires Back at Rolando Romero’s Ryan Garcia Comparison

    Devin Haney Fires Back at Rolando Romero’s Ryan Garcia Comparison

    Devin Haney recently dismissed Rolando “Rolly” Romero’s ‘triangle theory’ regarding a potential fight between them, following claims involving Ryan Garcia. The WBO welterweight champion Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) snubbed Romero’s reasoning, which used Garcia’s results as proof that Romero would defeat Haney.

    Romero (17-2, 13 KOs), the WBA welterweight titleholder, defeated Ryan Garcia by unanimous decision on May 2nd, 2025. Romero’s theory suggested that because he beat Garcia, he would also beat Haney.

    Haney responded on X, stating:

    “Triangle theories don’t work in boxing. Rolly will get bodied by me.” Haney countered with his own chain: “Rolly got bodied by Barroso, Barroso got bodied O’Hara Davies, Davies got bodied by Josh Taylor, Taylor got bodied by Teo, Teo got bodied by Kambosos, all leads back to ME.”

    Haney vs. Romero Unification Fight?

    A unification fight between Haney and Romero has been discussed for later this year, with negotiations currently ongoing. Haney recently secured the WBO welterweight title with a win over Brian Norman Jr. in November last year.

    Haney is also the former undisputed lightweight champion. Romero, however, has an overdue WBA mandatory defense against Shakhram Giyasov.

    Ryan Garcia is targeting a July 2026 return and is pushing for a rematch with Haney.

  • Ryan Garcia Blasts UFC’s BMF Title After Dull Oliveira-Holloway Fight at UFC 326

    Ryan Garcia Blasts UFC’s BMF Title After Dull Oliveira-Holloway Fight at UFC 326

    WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia didn’t hold back after watching Saturday night’s UFC 326 main event — and he made sure everyone knew it.

    Following Charles Oliveira’s unanimous decision over Max Holloway in the BMF title fight, Garcia took to X to unload on the UFC’s prized belt, questioning whether a grappling-heavy shutout performance had any business being associated with the belt.

    Garcia suggested that Oliveira’s takedown-focused approach was a mismatch for the title’s identity.

    “BMF or it’s just not on the ground the whole time,” Garcia posted,

    Garcia wasn’t done. He added:

    “I was expecting the UFC BMF card to be better — not going to lie,” he continued, adding a pointed jab at UFC brass before signing off with a “Make America proud type shit” message.

    A Performance That Drew Widespread Backlash

    Oliveira controlled Holloway almost entirely on the mat, earning a shutout 50-45 across all three scorecards. Many fans and fighters defined the fight as one-sided and slow — a far cry from the action-packed slugfest the BMF title is meant to celebrate.

    Garcia was far from alone in his criticism. The result reignited the ongoing debate over whether the BMF title has lost its identity, with many calling for it to be scrapped or significantly reformed.

    Garcia Fresh Off His Own Dominant Showing

    The 27-year-old is riding high after capturing the WBC welterweight strap on February 21st, defeating Mario Barrios by dominant unanimous decision in Las Vegas. Judges scored the fight 119-108, 120-107, and 118-109 in Garcia’s favor. It was a statement performance that cemented his status as one of boxing’s biggest names.

    With the title around his waist and an apparent appetite for stirring the pot, Garcia looks ready to make plenty of noise in 2026 — inside the ring and out.