Ryan Garcia could fight Teofimo Lopez in May in his tune-up fight at Times Square. This fight will prepare Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) for the first of two matches against Devin Haney. The two will fight in October in a rematch and then in February 2026 in a potential trilogy.
Fans think Ryan is making a mistake choosing Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) to get him ready for his rematch with Haney, because it’s a tough fight that could lose. Teofimo is a big puncher and still one of the best fighters in the 140-lb division.
Times Square Test
Garcia reportedly signed a three-fight deal with Turki Al-Sheikh. There will be the May tune-up at Times Square and then two fights against Haney. If Turki doesn’t mind Ryan getting beaten by Teofimo in May, it doesn’t matter that he’ll be going into the rematch with Haney coming off a loss. It would matter a lot to most promoters but perhaps not to Turki because he has the money and the philosophy that it’s okay for fighters to lose.
This week, he spoke about wanting boxing to follow the UFC model in which fighters lose frequently but keep fighting. They’re not forgotten after getting beaten. It’s that way in professional wrestling, as well. Famous wrestlers lose, but the fans don’t turn their backs on them because it’s entertainment.
Garcia hasn’t faced a big puncher since losing to Gervonta Davis in 2023, and he might wilt under the power of Teo. Haney didn’t have enough pop on his punches to trouble Kingry in their clash last April, but he landed plenty of shots in their 12-round contest. If Lopez hits Ryan that often, he might fall apart like he did against Tank.
High Risk, High Reward
A victory for Garcia over Teofimo would make his rematch with Haney much bigger. It would show that he’s still one of the best fighters in the sport, even after his one-year suspension.
Haney will fight on the same card in May against possibly former unified light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez in an equally risky fight. It would be interesting to know if Turki insists that Haney and Ryan take tough fights rather than gimmes.
Let the games begin! 🤝 @Turki_alalshikh https://t.co/8UxSx1sWOZ
— Teofimo Lopez (@TeofimoLopez) January 16, 2025
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