“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” said Ryan Garcia on X.
Ryan is likely doing a lot of talking to ensure he doesn’t get stuck with a mandatory defense that pays peanuts. By demanding Conor Benn or big-name rematches, he’s forcing the hand of his promoters.
The reality is that Ryan has the WBC belt, but the division is currently a waiting game. Unless someone like Turki Alalshikh decides Benn is worth the investment despite the Regis Prograis struggle, Ryan might find himself staring at a stay-busy fight that he definitely doesn’t want.
If Ryan had that “fight anyone, anywhere” mentality, he wouldn’t be in this situation. A “Sugar Ray Robinson” would have already signed to fight the most dangerous guy available just to prove a point.
Ryan’s current situation is a perfect example of a fighter being trapped by his own financial expectations. Because he has such a massive following, he feels he can’t take a “normal” title defense without it being a blockbuster event.
It’s telling that Ryan’s interest in Benn spiked right after Benn looked beatable against Regis Prograis on April 11. It’s the business-first mindset. He’s looking for the highest payout with the least amount of technical risk.
By dismissing Rolly Romero as an option but chasing a guy who just got his eyes cut by a 37-year-old Prograis, Ryan is showing his hand. He wants a name he thinks he can beat comfortably.
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