Highlights
- Ryan Garcia is looking to face off against Manny Pacquiao once his boxing ban is lifted in April 2025.
- Despite his ban, Garcia is determined to return to the sport and take on top fighters in real matches.
- Pacquiao has shown interest in potential bouts, including a matchup with welterweight world champion Mario Barrios.
Ryan Garcia may be banned from boxing until April 2025 but he’s already lining up potential opponents for when he returns to the sport as he’s seemingly challenged veteran fighter Manny Pacquiao to a match.
Pacquiao, 45, fought his last bout in 2021 when he lost to Yordenis Ugas and struggled to even open his eyes in the aftermath as his wife, Jinkee, was seen on video feeding the fighter in the subsequent days. Regardless, he’s stayed busy on the exhibition circuit, taking on South Korean martial artist DK Yoo in 2022 and then Rukiya Anpo on July 28 in Saitama Super Arena.
Garcia was present in Japan and said he’d like to fight Anpo for the way in which he treated the exhibition with Pacquiao as a real fight. He didn’t stop there, though, as he also said he wanted to fight Pacquiao, too.
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Ryan Garcia Challenges Manny Pacquiao to a Fight
Pacquiao has seemingly teased a return to the ring himself
“I would love to fight Manny Pacquiao,” said Garcia, according to MMA Fighting.
Pacquiao ran a gauntlet during his time in pro boxing, scoring big wins from flyweight through to welterweight, and beyond, over the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Oscar de la Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, and Keith Thurman.
He has recently been linked with a return to the ring against welterweight world champion Mario Barrios, but, to date, talks have failed to materialize past the respective teams into something real.
If, in fact, Pacquiao is interested in an official bout, Garcia wants to ensure Manny, and others, know he wants to be considered, too, as he wants to fight him “in a real fight,” he said, “[over] 12 rounds.”
“I wouldn’t do an exhibition at all. I would want to do a real fight, old lion versus young lion.”
Garcia is Currently Banned From Boxing
He will be free to fight again from April 2025
Ryan Garcia is one of the most well-known athletes in all boxing, despite competing in very few crossover events. At 25 years old, he’s beaten Luke Campbell, lost to Gervonta Davis, and temporarily had a win over Devin Haney on his resume until the fight was retrospectively ruled a no contest after Garcia failed a drug test for ostarine.
He will be free to return to the ring from April 2025 and will likely be thrust into a significant fight as Las Vegas-based boxing coach Bob Santos, who trains Mario Barrios, told Give Me Sport recently that, though they’d had discussions with Pacquiao, they’d welcome a fight with Garcia once he’s free to resume his career.
Additionally, a Give Me Sport source close to Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis said a rematch with Garcia would do big business in boxing and so it’s a fight they’d consider taking on.
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