Ryan Garcia hit back at promoter Oscar De La Hoya and says he’s ‘tired’ of talk surrounding a potential clash with boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.
The 140-pound superstar increased his stock despite losing to Gervonta Davis. However, his plans are not to resurrect the Pacquiao deal from 2020/21.
Garcia named his three-person hitlist days before De La Hoya made his revelation. Garcia had said: “[Rolando Romero] Rollies *they just ordered him to fight someone else.
“Isaac Cruz – if he’s willing to go to 140, or Teofimo López – depending on the outcome [of Josh Taylor].”
Ryan Garcia vs Manny Pacquiao
De La Hoya told reporters he was again working on the Pacquiao fight. Garcia was enraged by the prospect.
“This isn’t happening! – I said what I wanted. It’s frustrating. [I’m] tired of this,” said Garcia directly to a report from De La Hoya.
In addition, on asking his followers to give input on who he should fight, Garcia added: “I like involving the fans in my decisions. Some will say that’s not good, but I think it is good for the sport.
“I’d rather it’s negative feedback or good,” he stated.
When the Pacquiao fight negotiations exploded into the mainstream during the pandemic, Garcia revealed it was a big ambition of his to face the “Pac-Man.”
Dream to disaster
“Dream to reality. It’s an honor to share the ring with Manny Pacquiao. I will always respect what you did in and out of the ring. Here’s to the best man winning (the fight),” he said at the time.
“I’m just saying, can we share that ring, and please pass that torch to me? That’s the dream. With Manny, it’s like he’s the Legend. It would be like passing it down to me in the most humbling way.
“I don’t want it to come out as disrespectful. If I were to beat Manny Pacquiao, he would pass it on. I take whatever he did [titles in eight weights and transcending the sport]. I try to push it.
That dream became a disaster for Garcia when the contest collapsed around him. Pacquiao would eventually face Yordenis Ugas and lose.
Since then, Pacquiao hasn’t fought professionally and would be well off pace against a young top contender like Garcia.
It’s believed, and obviously – something Garcia shares, that the Golden Boy star needs to focus on landing a world title at super-lightweight.
He’s never held a world title in the sport and would enhance his standing by finally having a belt around his waist. Whether that will be with De La Hoya behind him, who knows?
Garcia won’t be fighting Manny Pacquiao if he has anything to do with it.
