Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya talks to Fight Hub TV and reflects on this past weekend’s PPV event, with Ryan Garcia scoring a big upset win over 140 lb champion Devin Haney.
De La Hoya says Garcia will look to fight at a catchweight of 144 lbs for the near future, taking full advantage of being a guy who can call the shots, but will eventually look for a title opportunity at the welterweight limit.
De La Hoya on how the Haney vs Garcia event turned out
“It was an amazing week for boxing. Imagine if every fighter was like Ryan, how boxing would just be the top sport again in the world. When you have characters like that, when you have people like Ryan who know how to push a fight, who are charismatic, and who back it up, it’s pretty cool to watch and I’m getting phone calls from everybody all over the world saying how amazing it was.
“I haven’t seen anything like it since back in the days when Tyson was fighting, when I was fighting. People were really, really interested and they were cheering — they love Ryan.
“I think Ryan right now is riding a wave of not only success but confidence. Now he knows he belongs with the very best, now we know that as well. I mean, he beat Devin Haney and he destroyed him. It was not an even fight or a close fight. It was a destruction. So we have to give Ryan Garcia a lot of credit.”
On what weight Garcia will campaign at going forward
“Whoever wants to fight Ryan, yeah, he feels comfortable at 144. Obviously eventually he wants to go for a title at 147, so we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. But, yeah, whoever wants any smoke come talk to me and we’ll make it happen, 144.”
On what two fights he’d most want for Garcia next
“I haven’t even studied what the next step is. Normally I’m prepared or this and that, but I think there’s so many opportunities out there. I even heard Ryan saying maybe a crossover fight with Sean O’Malley. I think we have to maybe work things out with Dana but I have no problem with that.”