Ryan Garcia could have his pick of two massive world title fights once he’s served his one-year ban from boxing.
The New York State Athletic Commission fined Garcia $10,000 and suspended him for one year from the date of the fight after the 25-year-old, who scored a majority decision win over Devin Haney on April 20, tested positive for Ostarine — a performance-enhancing drug — on the day before, and day of, the WBC super lightweight title fight.
The positive drugs test wasn’t the only controversy as Garcia also missed the 140-pound weight limit by 3.2 pounds and was never eligible to fight for Haney’s WBC championship.
Regardless, Garcia’s star continues to shine because, in the last week alone, the 25-year-old played poker at one of the most well-known livestream shows, Hustler Casino Live, and tried his hand on the comedy circuit at the Laugh Factory.
He’s threatened retirement, too, but will likely return to the sport once he’s served his ban, which expires in April 2025.
And, from what World Boxing News has heard, he won’t even need to wait long or get in line for a big fight, as influential figures in boxing are eyeing him up for a possible showdown as soon as he’s able to get back in the ring.
For Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, “the biggest fight out there is a Ryan Garcia rematch, providing it’s at a different weight class,” Premier Boxing Champions consultant Stephen Espinoza told World Boxing News this month.
Espinoza was speaking to us after Garcia’s positive test results, but prior to his suspension. Though he said fights involving Tank against the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko were realistic, as there was a real drive from the fighter himself to take on challenges like those, the success of the first Garcia fight means there’ll likely be a do-over in the near future.
Davis, 29, dominated Garcia and finished him with a body-shot in an April 2023 super-fight that generated over $22 million in ticket revenue at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and 1.2 million sales on US pay-per-view.
Since the knockout loss — the first of his career — Garcia rebounded with a win over Oscar Duarte, before his no contest ruling in the Haney fight.
For Espinoza, Garcia’s “dominant and entertaining performance” over Haney “reinvigorated” the conversation as to why his abilities were so different in the Tank fight.
“Maybe it was the weight,” Espinoza told us, referencing the 136-pound catchweight and 10-pound rehydration clause — something Garcia didn’t have competing against Haney, weighing-in at 143.2 pounds with no rehydration clause despite the missed attempt to make weight.
“Maybe it wasn’t the weight, and he just had an off night. But let’s do it again,” Espinoza said, “and I think that’s just a massive, massive rematch.”
One obvious stumbling block to any fight involving Tank and Garcia regards drug-testing, and ensuring Garcia enters the ring having nothing but negative test results for performance-enhancing drugs. “That’s one part of it,” Espinoza told us. “There’s also the weight that has to be worked out.
“But it was such a massive success for everybody that I think that kind of stuff can be worked out.”
The Tank rematch isn’t the only big fight that possibly awaits Garcia once he’s served his ban, as Bob Santos — the coach for WBC champ Mario Barrios — cited the Californian fighter as a possible future opponent for ‘El Azteca.’
Barrios is linked with a huge fight against legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao — an event that could take place as soon as October or November, as both fighters are seemingly already in agreement to box.
Should Barrios win that fight, his name value will continue to skyrocket, Santos told us.
When we asked the 2022 Boxing Trainer of the Year whether Barrios could kick-start a new era at 147 pounds, considering Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford are both moving to super welterweight at 154, he said Barrios will be in the mix with all the other top guys at welterweight — including Garcia.
“There’s no doubt that Ryan Garcia is going to have to go up [in weight],” Santos told us.
“Obviously, he couldn’t make 140 for the last fight, and you know damn well he ain’t making 40 when he comes back after his one-year suspension. And, if you really look at it, they’ve already started the suspension, so he’ll be back in about nine months.
“So, by the time we go out and fight Manny, in say October, November, jeez … we’re not too far from Ryan Garcia being in the mix, and all those types of guys. We’re right there.”
Alan Dawson is World Boxing News Lead Writer, a 2 x Sports Journalist of the Year finalist, and 5 x BWAA awards winner. Follow Alan @AlanDawsonSport.
