After the latest discord with Ryan Garcia, promoter Oscar De La Hoya insists his relationship with his star charge is still rooted in mutual understanding.
Garcia felt bamboozled last week after he publicly indicated on his social media that De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions was close to finalizing a deal for him to fight Rolando Romero, the WBA 140-pound titlist, only for it to be announced that Romero will defend his title against Isaac Cruz on March 30 as part of Premier Boxing Champion’s first Amazon Prime pay-per-view card at T-Mobile Arena in Los Vegas.
“Look I was informed the deal was finalizing and it would be announced in the coming days,” Garcia wrote in a post on X. “Obviously that was a lie. My patience has been tested the last few weeks. I’m trying my best to be honest and real as I can to you guys. I’ll be looking forward to announcing my next fight. I’m not going to say anything until it’s actually signed and delivered. I still look forward to putting on a big PPV for DAZN Boxing. Have a Blessed day.”
De La Hoya, for his part, denied that a Romero vs. Garcia was ever close, despite Garcia’s very confident proclamations.
It is the latest sign of discontent and miscommunication between De La Hoya and Garcia. When asked about their relationship recently, De La Hoya refused to fan the flames, saying while Garcia’s next opponent has not been decided that the date (April 20) and location (Las Vegas) were.
“A lot has happened,” De La Hoya told a group of reporters this past weekend in Phoenix, Arizona. “Look, me and Ryan, we are a united front, OK? We are going to get his fight done and sealed and I will announce it when it is done.
“I do know for sure that it will be April 20th in Las Vegas. The [opponent] not yet. No names, no names no names. April 20th in Las Vegas.”
The relationship between De La Hoya and Garcia took a public turn for the worst last year after Garcia’s knockout loss to Gervonta Davis. Garcia took issue with the fact that neither De La Hoya nor Golden Boy executive Bernard Hopkins showed up to the post-fight press conference. That led to an acrimonious row between Garcia and De La Hoya on social media. Their newfound animus eventually led to De La Hoya launching a lawsuit against Garcia for contractual reasons.
Sean Nam is the author of Murder on Federal Street: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, and the Last Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing.