‘I’m on the Hunt,’ Says Ryan Garcia

It has barely been two weeks since Ryan Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs) retained his WBC welterweight title by knocking out Conor Benn (25-2, 14 KOs) in the second round. However, it sure looks like he is itching to step into the ring once again.

Taking to X, Garcia opened up about his plans to fight, once again, at the end of the year.

“I’m trying to get this fight done for the year. I’m on the hunt. December, I’m throwing hands. Then right to May,” he wrote.

Garcia wants to fight again before the end of 2026 because he wants to stay active and does not want to wait until his planned blockbuster showdown with Teofimo Lopez in 2027. The WBC welterweight champion made that clear after his second-round stoppage of Benn, saying he had come through the fight without significant damage and saw no reason to remain on the sidelines for several months.

Garcia is targeting a possible December or January return, with Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and Angel Fierro among the opponents he has mentioned. He insists the next bout would not simply be a tune-up, but a competitive fight to keep him sharp ahead of the anticipated Lopez unification clash.

In fact, while talking to the Ring Magazine earlier this month, Garcia’s attorney and advisor Guadalupe Valencia, highlighted that he has a lot of options in case either fighter backs out.

“Ryan has plenty of options. Everyone wants to be in the ring with Ryan. We plan on being right back into a fight and announcing Ryan’s next fight shortly. We want to keep this great energy going and give the fans what they want, which is exciting and explosive fights,” he said.

“He’s Going To Have A Lot of Chances”

Garcia could fare well if he picks Pitbull Cruz, or so says Teddy Atlas. Talking on his YouTube channel, Atlas highlighted how Garcia’s style could wonderfully circumvent anything that Cruz throws at him.

“With Garcia’s style on the outside and the sharpness of his punches, the right hand and the left hook, he’s going to have a lot of chances to catch Cruz just like he caught Benn,” he said. “Cruz has a good chin; he’s a gutsy guy. And he’s a little more clever than he might have looked against Bravo. He’ll move his head, he’ll do certain things … he can even use his jab at times.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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