‘I’m Fighting Manny Pacquiao, Guys!’

Could we see Garcia vs. Pacquiao for New Year’s Eve in Japan? That’s the plan according to Garcia, who can’t fight in North America due to a drug suspension.

Troubled boxer Ryan Garcia was in Japan over the past weekend to watch Manny Pacquiao fight kickboxer Rukiya Anpo at Super Rizin 3. Now “King Ryan” says he’s in talks with RIZIN to fight Pacquiao at the end of the year.

Super Rizin 3 was a massive success, with over 45,000 people in attendance at Saitama Super Arena and a reported 500,000+ pay-per-view sales. The promotion, headed by former PRIDE FC president Nobuyuki Sakakibara, has built up a strong following with its mix of MMA, kickboxing, and boxing matches.

Ryan Garcia vs. Manny Pacquiao would certainly capture a lot of interest beyond Japan, and that’s what Garcia says is in the works.

“I was doing a fight deal with Manny Pacquiao. Yeah, I’m going to fight him,” he said after returning to the United States. “Yeah, it’s an exhibition. I’m fighting Manny Pacquiao, guys. Let’s get it. It’s coming soon. We’re trying to work on it. End of the year for sure.”

Garcia is currently under suspension in North America until April 2025, but Japan doesn’t have a commission that can bar him from competing in an exhibition bout. While some may look at the whole affair as a sneaky way to do a runaround on a drug suspension, Garcia positioned it as a much-needed focal point to help him get his life back in order.

“I’m trying to get more focused, stop drinking, stop doing a lot of the s— I was doing,” he said.

Garcia has been in a bit of a tailspin lately. His behavior leading up to a fight with Devin Haney was disturbing, with many suspecting he was in the midst of a mental crisis. Following the win he claimed it was all mind games to help him win the fight. But he continues to be in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Would an exhibition fight against 45-year-old Manny Pacquaio keep him out of trouble? We have our doubts, but one can hope.