LOS ANGELES — Moments after nearly butting heads with Rukiya Anpo on the Beverly Hilton close to Hollywood on Tuesday, Ryan Garcia informed World Boxing Information he’d welcome an actual struggle with Teofimo Lopez.
Garcia is suspended from boxing for a one-year interval backdated from the date of his Devin Haney win, retrospectively modified to a no contest, due to constructive checks for the banned substance Ostarine.
Exhibition bouts are a means during which he can nonetheless prepare for an occasion, and it’s one thing he informed us he desires to reap the benefits of, repeatedly, till his suspension lapses April 20, 2025.
Although Golden Boy Promotions issued a press release that it has but to clear the exhibition with Anpo on a RIZIN occasion broadcast on Fanmio pay-per-view December 30 from Tokyo, Garcia stated he desires “one other exhibition” earlier than touchdown “hopefully an enormous struggle in April.”
The date he has in thoughts for his return to completely sanctioned professional preventing is “April twenty first, to be trustworthy. That’s what we plan to do, me and Golden Boy.”
He informed us: “Clearly, I’m having these exhibitions, to remain in form after taking months off. I don’t need to lose a step.”
He stated he’s not but on the 154-pound restrict, however would, regardless, welcome fights towards Terence Crawford, after we put that opponent to him. He’d take a Gervonta Davis rematch, too, he stated.
“[I’d fight] Teofimo Lopez,” Garcia informed WBN, telling us: “I can go right down to 140 for a title shot,” referencing challenges for Lopez’s WBO crown, Liam Paro’s IBF belt, Jose Valenzuela’s WBA title, or Alberto Puello’s WBC title.
“In order that’s what I’m ,” he stated. “We’ll see.”
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Alan Dawson is World Boxing Information Lead Author, a 2 x Sports activities Journalist of the 12 months finalist, and 5 x BWAA awards winner. Comply with Alan @AlanDawsonSport.
