Ryan Garcia Accepts Pitbull Cruz Challenge

Ryan Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs) has accepted Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz’s challenge, with the WBC welterweight champion offering the Mexican a title fight in December.

Cruz (29-3-2, 19 KOs) called for Garcia immediately after knocking out Nestor Bravo in San Diego, California on September 19, dropping him twice before a left hook ended the fight at 1:30 of round six. The victory saw Cruz retain his interim WBC super lightweight title and then call out Ryan Garcia, who responded to Cruz’s call-out within hours.

“Bravo, Pitbull proved me wrong tonight,” Garcia said. “Let’s do this in December. The offer is on the table. I can tame a lion. I’m not too concerned about taming a Pitbull. I’ve already given the go to my attorney.”

Garcia finished by saying if Cruz rejects then he’ll never “give him another chance” to fight him.

The proposed bout would require Cruz to move from 140 to 147 pounds, where Garcia is coming off an emphatic win of his own. He dropped Conor Benn with a right hand on September 12 before forcing the second-round stoppage to make the first defense of his WBC title.

Garcia had previously targeted a unification fight with Teofimo Lopez for Cinco de Mayo in 2027, but Cruz has now presented a more immediate option for December.