Not long after a press conference for Ryan Garcia’s scheduled exhibition bout concluded in Los Angeles, Garcia’s promoter declared that Garcia’s match with Rukiya Anpo cannot happen without permission.
“Golden Boy Promotions has exclusive rights to Ryan Garcia’s fights,” Oscar De La Hoya, the head and namesake of the company, posted on Twitter on Tuesday. “The organizers of this event have acknowledged as such and have agreed in writing that our sign-off is needed for this event to occur. As no such sign-off has been given, as of today there is no event with Ryan Garcia.”
De La Hoya’s tweet did not elaborate on what Golden Boy Promotions is seeking in order to give their sign-off on the event.
Garcia was suspended earlier this year by the New York State Athletic Commission after the fighter tested positive for banned substances, which led to his victory over Devin Haney being overturned to a “no contest.”
Garcia, a 26-year-old from Los Angeles, remains under suspension until April 20, 2025. But he is seeking to face Anpo on December 30 in an exhibition match in Tokyo in a pay-per-view put forth by RIZIN and Fanmio. RIZIN is a company that promotes MMA in Japan.
Anpo is a kickboxer who competed in a boxing exhibition with Manny Pacquiao in July. Garcia vs. Anpo, if it does wind up taking place, will have a weight limit of 153 pounds and will be scheduled for eight two-minute rounds.
David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2 and @UnitedBoxingPod. He is the co-host of the United Boxing Podcast. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.
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