Oscar De La Hoya says the only impediment remaining for a Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia lightweight super fight lies with the broadcasters.
De La Hoya’s company, Golden Boy Promotions, backs Garcia and has a content deal with the streaming platform DAZN. Davis, on the other hand, is backed by Al Haymon whose Premier Boxing Champions has a deal with the premium cable network Showtime.
Recently, BoxingScene.com reported that the question of who will carry the pay-per-view for a Davis-Garcia fight remains the biggest sticking point in negotiations. All other terms, with the fighters and promoters, appeared to have been agreed to for a January fight at a catchweight of 136 pounds.
De La Hoya — speaking from Abu Dhabi where his charge Gilberto Ramirez will take on light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol this Saturday — put the onus on the networks to make Davis-Garcia.
“The promoters have done their job,” De La Hoya told iD Boxing. “We’ve come to terms on everything. Now it’s up to the networks.
“Showtime, DAZN, please, for the fans, make it happen.”
“I’m not an executive (network),” De La Hoya continued. “I’m not an executive. But as a fan, please, Showtime, DAZN, make this fight happen.”
De La Hoya’s comments arrive as blockbuster fights have fizzled from the calendar. In recent weeks, boxing fans have had to be greeted to the disappointing news that the year will not end with heavyweight champion Tyson Fury dueling Anthony Joshua or Terence Crawford taking on Errol Spence Jr. for the welterweight undisputed championship.
Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs), of Victorville, California, expressed concern recently that perhaps there was trouble brewing in negotiations for his fight with Baltimore’s Davis (27-0, 25 KOs).
“I want to fight Tank and Tank wants to fight me,” Garcia insisted on his Twitter account. “This fight is what boxing needs right now! I accepted all the terms on my side and instructed my team to get it done exactly as offered. The fans deserve this fight. Our sport needs this fight.
“We gotta get this BS figured out. This should have been the best couple of months in boxing. Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford fell apart. Me and Tank running into issues. That’s not what boxing is supposed to be about. Respectfully, celebrity boxing should not be defining our sport.”