The exhibition bout between Ryan Garcia and Rukiya Anpo, scheduled for December 30th, faces uncertainty due to a contract dispute with Garcia’s promoter, Golden Boy Promotions. Oscar De La Hoya, the head of Golden Boy, has publicly declared that his company holds “exclusive rights” to Garcia’s fights and has not approved this event.
The dispute was brought to light today when De La Hoya took to social media, stating:
“Golden Boy Promotions has exclusive rights to Ryan Garcia’s fights. 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.”
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This announcement casts significant doubt on whether the exhibition, which was meant to take place in Japan as part of Garcia’s plan to stay sharp during his suspension, will proceed. Garcia, who is suspended until April 2025, was counting on the bout to maintain momentum ahead of his official return to the ring.
The 25-year-old Garcia, known for his lightning-fast hands and strong social media presence, had already begun promoting the event with Anpo during a press conference in Beverly Hills earlier today. However, unless an agreement is reached between Golden Boy Promotions and the event organizers, the match could be scrapped entirely.
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