Following his dramatic upset win over Devin Haney in Brooklyn at the weekend, Ryan Garcia’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya said his fighter was now “calling all the shots.”
Given the craziness of the build up, Garcia’s already significant level of stardom and the nature of the victory, there aren’t many bigger names in the boxing world right now than the 25-year-old Californian.
With the riches on offer to potential opponents, there will be no shortage of options for “King Ry” when it comes to his next fight.
After the Haney win, Garcia, who missed weight by more than three pounds, confirmed his days at super lightweight were over and he intended to fight at 147-pounds moving forward.
Curiously, he even signalled his wish to take on current WBC and WBO super welterweight champion, Sebastian Fundora.
“I had a vision to fight Fundora at 154,” Garcia said post-fight.
“I don’t know why, I just feel like I could knock him out. I know that’s really, really random but I just feel like I could get the title at 154.
“I’ve fought guys that big before and I’ve knocked them out, in sparring.”
Garcia seems unlikely to get that wish, at least in the short term, with Fundora sidelined for several months after he required surgery on his nose following his title-winning victory over Tim Tszyu last month.
When Fundora returns, he’s been ordered by the WBO to face the winner of the upcoming Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov bout before the end of the year.
Tim Tszyu's camp interested in Ryan Garcia fight
With Fundora occupied, Tszyu’s camp expressed an interest in welcoming Garcia to the super welterweight division.
“By the time he makes his way up to ‘54, Timmy will be the champion across everything,” George Rose of No Limit Boxing told Sporting News.
“I hope he does come up because he’s an absolute superstar of global boxing, he’s a guy who can fight, can absolutely fight, can punch, can mix it with the best and Timmy Tszyu’s going to be the best in the 154 division all over again.
“I would happily see Ryan Garcia come up to 154 and we’d love to accommodate him.”
In preparation for his cancelled bout with Jermell Charlo, Tszyu trained out of Ten Goose Boxing in Los Angeles at the same time Garcia was working with Joe Goossen.
Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings sung the young star’s praises.
“Ryan said a lot of things pre and post, some of it makes sense and some of it doesn’t, but that’s who he is,” Jennings said.
“He’s a friend of ours, we trained with Ryan in Los Angeles and we’re really happy for him but he has his own way of doing things and if anyone wants to spend any time trying to analyse it, don’t. Give up on it. Let him go.
“This guy is an enigma and credit to him and kudos to him for everything that he does.”
Who will Ryan Garcia fight next?
Unfortunately for Tszyu who is currently without a belt, Garcia will likely be inclined to look elsewhere for his next opponent.
The Devin Haney rematch remains a possibility, but not at super lightweight, while Gervonta "Tank" Davis is a long shot to run it back with Garcia at the suggested 145lb catchweight.
Teofimo Lopez is a superstar in his own right and would make for a box-office build up as well as a mouth-watering fight, although the New Yorker is currently campaigning at 140lb.
Should he move up to welterweight, there will be a host of fighters lining up to take on Garcia.
After the fight, Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn was seen suggesting Garcia face his new signing and IBF champion at 147lb, Jaron "Boots" Ennis.
Alternatively, Garcia has been going back and forth on social media with Englishman Conor Benn, also with Matchroom, while he also suggested a meeting with Errol Spence could be a possibility.
Wait RG vs Errol would be crazy
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) April 22, 2024
Nah yall want that?
Let me hear you
All that being said, Garcia's social media activity needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
If De La Hoya and Co. want to keep it in-house with Golden Boy, someone like Alexis Rocha would be near the front of the queue.
Regardless, De La Hoya was right when he said Garcia is "calling all the shots."
