Ryan Garcia should face Ohara Davies for the WBA junior welterweight title if Rolando Romero is out injured.
That is according to Oscar De La Hoya. Rolly had been on course to face Ohara Davies given that the latter is his mandatory. Davies became the mandatory after he stopped Lewis Ritson to move to seven wins in a row. As for Romero, he overcame Ismael Barroso to earn the belt in a controversial ninth-round stoppage.
Thereafter, the purse bids were meant to go ahead on July 24th, 2023. However, due to Romero submitting a medical issue, the bids were called off. The exact nature of the medical condition was not disclosed, but Romero’s decision to pull out has hampered the division. Therefore, if the bout cannot be agreed, De La Hoya has demanded that Garcia get a shot for the vacant title.
“The belts could be at stake, and given the fact that Rolly [Romero] is in Recess. I believe he got injured, but he’s a fighter in Recess. So now there are going to be some possibilities to possibly fight Ryan for a world title,” De La Hoya
Such a fight would be the exact thing that Garcia needs following his defeat to Gervonta Davis at 135 in his last fight. In response, King Ryan hired Derrick James as his trainer, as well as moving up to 140. Although he lost his undefeated record to Davis, grabbing a world title would change all that. And with Garcia’s huge fan base, the 140-pounder would be in a stronger position to command fights on his own terms moving forward.