Boxing superstar Ryan Garcia still has several months of his PED suspension left to answer for, but ‘King Ry’ is indeed set to return to the ring in just a few weeks’ time for a rather strange exhibition bout in Japan.
The suspended superstar believes that his return to the ring will end in a devastating knockout, and he’s already plotting out his next fight after that December comeback; this time, against Jake ‘The Problem Child’ Paul.
Ryan Garcia announces his return to the boxing ring in December exhibition bout
Ryan Garcia was suspended from professional boxing and fined over $1 million after testing positive for Ostarine in his fight against Devin Haney earlier this Summer, with that suspension being confirmed to last one full calendar year.
However, Garcia is still planning to take an exhibition fight in the meantime, with the boxing superstar having just announced that he’s accepted the contract for a bout against former kickboxing champion Rukiya Anpo on December 30.
“I’m looking forward to knocking Anpo out for trying to knock out the legend Manny Pacquiao,” Garcia teased in a statement to the media after the announcement was made public.
“Manny [Pacquiao] is past his prime, and for him to try to knock him out rubbed me the wrong way… I will knock him out and teach him a lesson of respect.”
Anpo and Pacquiao went to a draw in a three-round exhibition bout of their own in July, with Garcia claiming after that fight that he’d knock Anpo out within three.
Garcia vs Anpo will take place on Monday, December 30 at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT and will be a Pay-Per-View bout available to purchase via Fanmio for $49.99.
Ryan Garcia teases he’ll ‘go after Jake’ Paul as he waits out PED suspension
After facing Rukiya Anpo in December, Ryan Garcia hopes to secure a big-money fight against Jake ‘The Problem Child’ Paul in early 2025, with his suspension from professional boxing expected to expire in the Summer.
Taking to social media late last night, ‘King Ry’ would lay out his future fight plans and chose not to mince his words as he reaffirmed that Paul remains firmly on his hit list.
“Ight I’ve been quiet for some time, but I’ve been cooking on some plans before my actual return to the ring… Here is the plan before April… Exhibition in December in Japan against the guy who fought aging manny pac and tried to knock him out… And then go after Jake for uncle Mike.”
Jake Paul is coming off a controversial decision win over the legendary Mike Tyson in a fight that Garcia lamented, “No point of that fight,” he wrote on social media.
Paul certainly has the power to pick and choose his next opponent, after being called out by a series of well-known names such as retired boxer Carl Froch, heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois and undisputed king Artur Beterbiev.