Not so fast! Ryan Garcia’s RIZIN fight not a done deal

Blaine Henry

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Publish Date: 11/28/2024

Ryan Garcia and Rukiya Anpo’s exhibition may be killed in the crib.

Just days after RIZIN announced an exhibition between boxing star Ryan Garcia to make a promotional debut. The fight may not be a done deal just yet. Garcia’s attempt to skirt drug test sanctions is not a done deal yet.

Garcia is suspended for a year after failing multiple drug tests stemming from his samples during the Devin Haney win. Those tests caused the career-best win to a no contest as well.

Ryan Garcia vs. Rukiya Anpo not a done deal

All of the red tape has not been cut leading into the year-end RIZIN event capped off with Ryan Garcia and Rukiya Anpo. Apparently RIZIN, has not cleared things with Golden Boy Promotions.

“Golden Boy Promotions has exclusive rights to Ryan Garcia’s fights. The organizers of this event (Garcia vs. Anpo) have acknowledged as such and have agreed in writing that our sign-off is needed for this event to occur. As no such sign-off has been given, as of today there is no event with Ryan Garcia.”

The announcement by Garcia’s management team, led by Oscar De La Hoya, is looking to temper expectations and pump the brakes on the promotion of the fight until the business men have their pound of flesh.

Is the Garcia vs. Anpo fight off?

In spite of Golden Boy Promotions saying the Ryan Garcia exhibition in RIZIN is not a done deal, the fight still may go forward. The key to Golden Boy’s announcement is the “as of today there is no event with Ryan Garcia.”

This indicates that Golden Boy is open to doing business and likely has already started talks with RIZIN before this fight was even announced. It seems that the Japanese based MMA promotion has simply jumped the gun.

【RIZIN DECADE 第1部】ライアン・ガルシアvs.安保瑠輝也記者会見 - 2024/11/27

This announcement comes on the heels of Garcia and Anpo’s heated face off. This occurred at the RIZIN press conference that ended in a shoving match between Garcia and Anpo.

If there’s anything to learn about Garcia’s past fights, it’s to buckle up, this is about to be a wild, wild ride. Then again, we are in a wild time in boxing’s history anyway.