De La Hoya Wants Teofimo Lopez for Ryan Garcia in Comeback Fight

Promoter Oscar De La Hoya is considering Ryan Garcia fighting Teofimo Lopez when he returns in 2025. De La Hoya posted on social media asking his followers their thoughts on Ryan (24-1, 20 KOs) facing Teofimo when he returns next year.

Garcia Has Put on Weight

Oscar doesn’t say whether he wants the Garcia vs. Teofimo fight to be at 140 or 147. Given that Ryan missed weight for his last fight against former WBC light welterweight champion Devin Haney, he should fight at 147 or a catchweight at 150 when he returns to action. He’s put on too much weight since his last fight, and it’s clear that he’s not doing enough running to keep the pounds off.

It could be a mistake if De La Hoya is serious about matching Garcia against Teofimo (21-1, 13 KOs) in his first fight after a year-long suspension for a positive PED test. Teo is too good of a fighter for Kingry to battle after more than a year of sitting on the shelf after his victory over Devin Haney on April 20th.

Ryan has gained weight around his midsection in the six months he’s been out of the ring, and fat can be seen around his face and upper body. Losing all that weight could take something out of him.

We all saw how Ryan gassed in the championship rounds against Haney, and was only able to fight hard during spurts. That’s why Haney was able to win rounds to make it a close fight in the end. Ryan’s stamina failed him. It’s going to be worse for Ryan, 26, if he fades against Teofimo, because he can punch, move and has a good chin.

Tuneup Needed for Garcia

Ideally, Ryan needs to take one or two tuneups before facing Teofimo in 2025. Going straight into that fight after a 12-18 month layoff would be foolish. He might, but not if he gasses out after seven rounds, like in the Haney fight.