‘This ISN’T happening!’: Ryan Garcia denies that he will be facing boxing icon Manny Pacquiao next after his promoter Oscar De La Hoya claimed a clash between the pair is the ‘biggest fight out there’
Ryan Garcia has hit back at his promoter Oscar De La Hoya for suggesting he should fight boxing icon Manny Pacquiao next.
Garcia is looking to bounce back after suffering his first professional defeat against fellow American Gervonta Davis in April.
The 24-year-old is seeking a swift return to the ring, and recently listed WBA super-lightweight champion Rolly Romero, dangerous Mexican puncher Isaac Cruz or former lightweight king Teofimo Lopez as three potential opponents.
However, De La Hoya has other ideas, and would like to see Garcia take on Pacquiao in the near future.
‘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,’ De La Hoya told Fight Hub TV.
Promoter Oscar De La Hoya (left) wants Ryan Garcia (right) to fight Manny Pacquiao next
Garcia has hit back at his promoter, insisting a fight with Pacquiao won’t be happening
Pacquiao has not had a professional fight since losing to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021
‘Manny’s a small guy to start off with. All his weight is in his calves. He’s got big calves, strong calves, but yeah, I can see that fight happening at 142, 143, maybe.
‘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.
He went on to tell reporters: ‘Manny vs Ryan, you know how huge that would be? I’m gonna pursue that and we’ll see what the best option is for Ryan.’
But it did not take long for Garcia to respond, and he made it clear he has no interest in fighting the former eight-division world champion.
‘This isn’t happening!! I said what I wanted… It’s frustrating.. tired of this,’ he wrote on Twitter.
Pacquiao is widely viewed as one of the greatest boxers of all time, and was a major PPV star throughout his career, indicating why De La Hoya would be interested in putting him in with Garcia, whose fight with Davis was also a huge success commercially.
But the Filipino southpaw has not fought since August 2021 when he lost via unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas, and he later announced his retirement.
He has teased a return since then, and was linked with a fight against Britain’s Conor Benn earlier this year, but that clash has not materialised yet.
Meanwhile, Garcia stated after losing to Davis that he wants to move to 140lbs to test himself in that division, and now appears to have ruled out the possibility of fighting Pacquiao at a catchweight.
Pacquiao was linked with a comeback fight against Britain’s Conor Benn earlier this year
