By: Sean Crose
There seems to be trouble in paradise. First, Ryan Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, didn’t show up to the post fight press conference earlier this spring after his fighter, Ryan Garcia, was knocked out by Gervonta Davis in one of the most successful events in contemporary boxing (De La Hoya said he had been receiving death threats). Now De Ha Hoya is claiming that former great Manny Pacquiao, is the top choice for the popular Garcia to fight next. Garcia, suffice to say, isn’t having it, going so far as to essentially calling out De La Hoya on social media.
“This isn’t happening!!,” Garcia posted over a Michael Benson tweet showcasing De La Hoya’s hope for a Pacquiao fight. “I said what I wanted… It’s frustrating.. tired of this.” To be sure, Garcia recently posted what he wanted: “3 people I want to fight next,” he had stated on Tuesday. “Rollies *they just ordered for him to fight someone’s else. Isaac Cruz *if he’s willing to go to 140. Teofimo López *depending on outcome.” The name Manny Pacquiao certainly cannot be found on this list. Then again, De La Hoya may not have been entirely serious when he said Pacquiao was the top choice for Garcia’s next fight. Promoters, after all, are apt to say anything to keep the conversation on their fighter.
“I think Manny Pacquiao is the biggest fight that can be made,” De La Hoya told Marcos Villegas. The iconic fighter turned high level promoter also stated that he could “see that fight happening at 142, 143 maybe.” Now that Garcia has made it clear he doesn’t see a fight with Pacquiao happening at all in the near future – while at the same time making his unhappiness with his promotional situation public – it’s worth wondering what may be a result of recent tension between the fighter and his promoter.
The truth is that, even though he was knocked out by Davis, Garcia is young enough, popular enough, and talented enough to still bring in lots of dollars and eyeballs. That means he has a wide array of opponents to choose from. He subsequently, contractual matters aside, has or likely will have, a wide array of promoters to choose from, as well…should he and De La Hoya suffer a break. With that being said, the two have had a successful partnership up until this point. The Garcia-Davis fight was an enormous event, after all, something made even more notable by the fact that no major titles were at stake.
