WBC Welterweight Champion Ryan Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) is desperate to secure his next fight, emphasizing his desire to stay active following his first world title.
Garcia captured the WBC belt on February 21, 2026, with a unanimous decision over Mario Barrios. Ryan is looking to capitalize on his momentum, as he is targeting an August 2026 return. While Ryan wants to box Conor Benn, promotional differences between Zuffa Boxing and Golden Boy have made a deal difficult.
De La Hoya has been vocal about the difficulty of working with Dana White, questioning why Benn would sign with Zuffa if he truly wanted the Garcia fight. Benn is currently the WBC #1 mandatory following his April 11 victory over Regis Prograis.
If a deal isn’t reached, Garcia risks being forced into a mandatory defense against a less marketable opponent for a significantly smaller purse. While the Devin Haney rematch and Teofimo Lopez fights have been mentioned, Ryan is no closer to a deal.
“I want to fight to fight so bad. I feel even more now that I have a belt. THE CHAMP wants to fight. SOMEONE RUN THE SCRAP,” Garcia said