Trainer Abel Sanchez believes that the soap opera 140-lb contender Ryan Garcia is creating for his promoter Oscar De La Hoya, turning down fights and calling out different fighters, has caused issues for himself and Golden Boy.
Abel feels that Ryan undermining De La Hoya, refusing fights and picking the guys he wants.
Sanchez blames Ryan for not keeping his mouth shut and for not letting his promoter, De La Hoya, do his job. Oscar is trying to set up fights for the 25-year-old Ryan, but he’s rejecting them and has turned down matches against Devin Haney and Jose Ramirez.
Ryan now wants to fight Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz, a fighter who competes in a division below him at 135. That’s not a fight that will attract as much interest and make money like a match with Haney. It also looks bad that Ryan is picking his opponents out from the 135-lb division rather than the 140-lb weight class.
If the fight with Pitbull is made, it would be Ryan’s second consecutive match fighting a 135-pounder while campaigning at 140. If Ryan doesn’t have the confidence to fight guys from the light welterweight division, he should move back down to 135.
Undermining the Promoter
“Unfortunately, Oscar De La Hoya has put himself in this position by lowering himself down to Ryan Garcia,” said Abel Sanchez to Fight Hub TV about the problems that Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya is having with Ryan Garcia turning down fights.
“Oscar is the promoter, and they sign a contract to do what the promoter feels is their best interest, not only as a business but as a fighter. When a fighter starts calling people out, saying, ‘I want to fight this guy, or I want to fight that guy,” Abel said.
With Canelo Alvarez now gone, De La Hoya may not have the confidence to be assertive with Ryan in the way that he needs to be for fear of losing him, which is already a foregone conclusion. When Ryan’s contract is up with Golden Boy, it’s believed that he’s going to sign with PBC, and will likely sit inactive for long periods.
Creating a “Headache” Reputation
“I think I said this before about David Benavidez. He was talking so much about wanting to fight Canelo that all these guys said that they don’t want to deal with him. He’s a headache,” said Sanchez.
“So, when you’re a headache, you’re less likely to get things done that you need to get done for your next fight or for four of five fights down the road. Ryan has put himself in that position where it’s difficult to deal for him, to make fights for him,” said Sanchez.
Ryan got his wish after calling out Gervonta Davis for a solid yet, and he was wiped out in seven rounds in a mismatch last year. He made a lot of money in that fight, and that may have created unrealistic expectations for the kind of dough that he’ll receive moving forward.
If Ryan thinks he’s going to get $30 million every time he fights, even against lesser opposition like Pitbull Cruz, and Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero, he’s not going to be a happy camper when he fails to get even one-sixth of that. Those guys aren’t popular, and it would be viewed as a joke if Ryan fights either of them, especially if it’s on PPV.
“The more he calls people out the more people are going to say, ‘No, let Ryan wait. It’s not that important.’ He has a little pop in his punch, so it’s not like they’re fighting a bum. They’re fighting a guy that, yeah, he’s not the most talented, but he’s got a little pop in his hands. He’s got good hand speed and he’s got a good following.
“He’s got to tone it down and allow the business of boxing to play out and set up the fights that are in the near future because is he going to sit out the whole year because nobody wants to fight him? That doesn’t make any sense,” said Sanchez about Ryan Garcia, failing to recognize that he’s been turning down fights lately, rejecting matches against Jose Ramirez and Devin Haney.
“He’s [Ryan] going to get a fight. He’s going to get a fight in his mind that he deserves. He’s going to get paid what he thinks he’s going to get paid. If Ryan is getting that kind of money, and he’s talking about the kind of money he’s getting, these guys are going to want to get that kind of money, too.
“Sometimes you have to pipe it down and allow the promoter to do his thing behind the scenes. Keep your mouth shut, and put the money in the bank, and not telling all these people how much money you’re making because they’re going to want a mint, too, and if they’re pricing themselves out, there’s a reason.
“All Ryan can do is talk about how much money he’s making. All Ryan can do is talk about how much money he wants. So, if I’ve got a fighter that want to fight him or if you’re using me to make that money, then I want to be paid, too. That’s why I say, he’s got to pipe it down and let Oscar do his thing,” said Sanchez.
Focus On Fighting
“I think social media is a detriment to our sport because these guys are all talking about the millions that they’re making are pricing the opponents out of good fights,” Abel said. “What would a win over Teofimo do for Ryan if Ryan Garcia thinks he can beat him? It would be unbelievable.
“All good fighters,” said Sanchez about the 140-lb division being stacked with Ryan, Teofimo Lopez, Arnold Barboza and Devin Haney. “Barboza would be a great fight for anybody. He may not be the most flashy guy, but he’s a solid fighter.
“The Saudis are going to want to see the heavyweights. These are the guys [140-pounders] are guys that they would be clamoring for,” said Sanchez.
