Promoter Oscar De La Hoya says Ryan Garcia will take on a makeover fight in late April or May when his suspension expires. He says it will only be a warm-up level opponent and not a world champion, as Kingry will be out of the ring for a year.
Teofimo & Ennis target
After Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) takes a tune-up, the plan is to put him in a big fight, possibly against one of these two fighters:
– Teofimo Lopez
– Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis
If IBF welterweight champion Boots Ennis is still fighting at 147, he would be a good option for Garcia. He is considered the best in his weight class. He doesn’t come with all the baggage that Teofimo does, with him looking poor in repeated fights and picking up several controversial wins.
“A fighter having a layoff year is never a good thing. So, his comeback fight has to be some sort of warm-up fight, a tuneup fight we call in boxing, someone who is not a world champion,” said Oscar De La Hoya. Fight Hub TV about Ryan Garcia’s comeback fight when he returns to the ring in 2025.
“Right now, in his division, whether it’s 147 pounds or between 140 and 147, there are a lot of great names for him. Once Ryan is back in action, once Ryan gets back into rhythm and has a draft fight, possibly in late April or maybe early May, then I want to throw him in with the very best.
“That’s what Ryan wants to do, challenge himself and fight the best, whether it’s Teofimo Lopez or Boots Ennis or whoever is the best. We still have Devin Haney, who wants that rematch against Ryan Garcia. Who knows? Maybe it will happen again, but again, I’ll sit down with Ryan, and we’ll work out a plan,” De La Hoya said.
De La Hoya doesn’t seem to think that Ryan should give Haney a rematch given how one-sided their fight was last April. During Oscar’s career, he would move on after defeating the opposition.
The only exceptions were against Julio Cesar Chavez and Shane Mosley. Haney is not on the same level of talent and popularity as these two. So Ryan doesn’t need to give Devin a rematch unless he can stay popular and busy, which he currently doesn’t. Looks like he’s just waiting for Ryan.
It sounds like Haney will have to wait a while for a rematch with Garcia, which may never happen. The risk of Devin waiting is that he will have to stay busy with his career, and he will have to fight good opposition to get the kind of money he has become accustomed to for his fights.
Fighting a top 140 or 147-lb contender or champion would be risky for Haney because they hit harder than the guys he feasted on at 135. They are not old like Regis Prograis, who defeated Haney to capture his WBC light welterweight title. title last year on December 9, 2023.
If Haney loses to someone while waiting for the rematch with Ryan Garcia to happen, it will likely permanently eliminate any chance of a second fight. Ryan wasn’t going to waste time helping a drowning man.
No Haney Rematch?
“I’ve never heard of a fighter suing a fighter for battery. We’re hitting opponents,” De La Hoya said of Devin Haney’s lawsuit he has over Ryan. “So, I’ve never heard that in my entire career as a fighter or a promoter. But yes, it opens the door. It’s a great story line.
“It’s nonsense, but the only way to break down is inside the ring. Who knows? Maybe we can see another one, or maybe we won’t. I think Ryan gave a performance of a lifetime. The way Ryan Garcia handled Devin Haney doesn’t call for a rematch to me personally, but the back and forth is pretty intense,” said De La Hoya.
This lawsuit by Haney could work against him in the long run and get him the rematch he wants against Ryan. It’s unclear whether Devin and his father, Bill Haney, saw the bigger picture.
Losing to Kingry was a bitter pill to swallow, but if they want the rematch, they’re going about it the wrong way. Additionally, the public perception of Haney is largely negative of his decision to sue Ryan, as fans see it as a weakness on his part.
