Ryan Garcia is current ineligible to fight as he serves a one year suspension handed out by New York’s athletic commission after testing positive for a banned substance both before and after his last fight.
That contest with WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney was marred with controversy from the second it was announced. Garcia’s erratic behaviour in the build up had many worried for his mental state, so when he weighed in over the limit while drinking a beer it was little shock to anyone.
What was a shock, however, was how the fight transpired. Garcia did plenty of damage with his famously fast and potent left hook and put the previously unbeaten Haney down three times across the 12 rounds before running out a points winner.
In light of the drug test findings, however, the result has been ruled a no contest. Garcia has continued to protest his innocence while also getting himself into trouble over various comments on social media
Despite this, and the fact that there is a great weight difference, his promoter Oscar De La Hoya has told Boxing Scene that elite junior-middleweight contender Vergil Ortiz Jr is a possible next opponent for ‘King Ry.’
Ortiz has won all 21 of his fights by stoppage and despite set backs during covid and with illness that forced him to pull out of two fights, he is well on his way to becoming ‘boxing’s next superstar’ according to De La Hoya.
“The fight can be a superfight. The buildup starts now. I believe it was Ryan Garcia that called out Vergil. They fought twice in the amateurs; Ryan has two wins. Three strikes and you’re out, so let’s make it in the pros. It’s very doable.
That fight at 154 can happen next year at Dallas Cowboys stadium, with Jerry Jones. I’m calling it now: That fight is very doable.”
Another obstacle is that Ortiz is next out on August 10th at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas versus WBC interim 154-pound champion Serhii Bohachuk.
