Sean O’Malley Interested In Boxing Ryan Garcia, Rules Out Devin Haney

Sean O’Malley has admitted that he has not ruled out facing Ryan Garcia in a boxing fight. 

The current UFC bantamweight champion’s confidence is riding high following his second-round-stoppage win over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 to secure the belt. The win ended Sterling’s nine-fight-win streak. Thereafter, O’Malley called out Gervonta Davis for a fight as the MMA fighter hinted at crossing over into the boxing world. 

“I also wouldn’t mind knocking out Gervonta Davis, and I know people are gonna go, ‘Ahh, you want to be Conor (McGregor). I’m telling you, that fight is going to happen,” O’Malley said

Thereafter, links with Devin Haney materialized after O’Malley admitted that he could ‘break’ the ‘Dream.’ The latter responded by making it clear that the fight would not be competitive, only for O’Malley to dismiss the challenge since Haney was not a big name. 

“The thing about Devin Haney is like, I’m not trying to throw shade or anything, but I’ve legit literally never watched him box one fight ever. I didn’t even really know who he was until more recent. Like him, Gervonta, there’s a guy named like Shakur (Stevenson). I talked to the UFC about a potential boxing fight someday, and they were like, ‘No one knows Devin Haney. There’s a 0 percent chance that ever happens. He’s just not a star. No one knows him,” O’Malley

And now the UFC fighter has turned his attention to Garcia, who does have crossover appeal due to his massive social media following. 

Sean O’Malley says the UFC would be open to a boxing match vs Ryan Garcia 👀 pic.twitter.com/2L05kbA9ez

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) November 6, 2023

“I know that, I feel that, I know that I’m going to box one day. Those guys aren’t really pay-per-view guys, they don’t really sell, they said the Ryan Garcia’s, like if any of them were ever to be a fight, like he would be the one that has the most potential for me. As far as just a big pay-per-view. The UFC said if it makes us money, we’ll do it,” O’Malley stated 

But before O’Malley can contemplate such a fight, he must prepare to take on Marlon Vera in their rematch at UFC 299. As we have reported previously, Dana White confirmed the fight as part of three new events starting next year. And since Vera is the only fighter to have beaten O’Malley, the focus must be on that rematch moving forward. 

Social Media Response

This would be interesting 👀

— ManMadeWorld (@ManMadeWRLD) November 6, 2023

I would 100% watch that fight

— Im Mid At Life (@ImMidAtLife) November 6, 2023

o’malley does a lot better then ppl think imo. could beat some of these guys

— dante (@dantezupp) November 6, 2023