Following Jake Paul's victory over Mike Tyson, Ryan Garcia has expressed a strong desire to face Paul in the ring and put an end to his boxing journey. Garcia's comments came during an appearance on Ariel Helwani's show, where he stated his intention to "end" Paul's career, drawing a parallel to his feelings about fighting Manny Pacquiao.
Garcia recounted a past encounter with Paul at his gym before Paul's boxing career began, suggesting he played a role in its inception. He now sees himself as the one to conclude it. Garcia is scheduled to fight Rukiya Anpo in Tokyo at the end of the year, a bout motivated by Anpo's previous match with Pacquiao.
However, Oscar De La Hoya, owner of Golden Boy Promotions, which represents Garcia, asserted his promotional rights over Garcia's fights, stating that the exhibition with Anpo requires his approval, which hasn't been granted. Garcia is currently serving a one-year suspension due to a positive test for a banned substance, expiring in April 2025. This suspension restricts his participation in professional boxing, hence his agreement to the exhibition match with Anpo, which doesn't fall under the professional category.
Prior to his fight with Devin Haney, which was ruled a no contest despite Garcia's victory due to the positive drug test, Garcia exhibited erratic behavior and admitted to marijuana use. Reflecting on this period, Garcia acknowledged the challenging time and expressed a desire for a calmer life moving forward.
A potential Garcia-Paul fight raises questions about the weight class. Paul gained weight for his fight against Tyson, and Garcia expressed willingness to move up to 185 pounds. Garcia typically weighs between 165 and 170 pounds but plans to return to 140 or 147 pounds for his professional career. Confident in his abilities, Garcia believes he could knock Paul out within four or five rounds if Paul fights similarly to his bout with Tyson.
