“I want to fight so bad to fight 😩 I feel even more now that I have a belt. THE CHAMP wants to fight. SOMEONE RUN THE SCRAP” said Ryan Garcia on X.
Ryan is probably doing a lot of talking to ensure he doesn’t get stuck with a mandatory defense that pays peanuts. By demanding Conor Benn or big name reps, he forces the hand of his promoters.
The reality is that Ryan has the WBC belt, but the division is currently a waiting game. Unless someone like Turki Alalshikh decides that Benn is worth the investment despite the Regis Prograis struggle, Ryan might be staring at a busy fight that he definitely doesn’t want.
If Ryan had that “fight anyone, anywhere” mentality, he wouldn’t be in this situation. A “Sugar Ray Robinson” would have already signed on to fight the most dangerous guy available just to prove a point.
Ryan’s current situation is a perfect example of a fighter trapped by his own financial expectations. Because he has such a massive following, he feels he can’t make a “normal” title defense without it being a blockbuster event.
It is telling that Ryan’s interest in Benn increased just after Benn looked beatable against Regis Prograis on April 11th. This is the business-first mindset. He is looking for the highest payout with the least technical risk.
By dismissing Rolly Romero as an option, but chasing a guy who just had his eyes gouged out by a 37-year-old Prograis, Ryan shows his hand. He wants a name he thinks he can beat comfortably.
