Garcia On De La Hoya's Walkout No-Show

Ryan Garcia said he expected Oscar De La Hoya to walk him out before his second-round knockout of Conor Benn at T-Mobile Arena on Sept. 12, but the Mexican-American icon never appeared.

Garcia, who retained his WBC welterweight title on Mexican Independence Day weekend, told reporters after the stoppage that he had invited De La Hoya to join him for the entrance. "I thought he was gonna be here," Garcia said, per Sherdog. "I actually invited him to walk out with me. I thought that was gonna be iconic. Everybody was asking where he was."

Golden Boy Director Blames Last-Minute Change

Jane Murcia, a director at De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, said a morning-of-the-fight call informed the promotion that Garcia had changed his mind. According to Murcia, Garcia originally wanted both De La Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. for the walkout — what she described as the "big surprise" De La Hoya had teased on social media — but Garcia's team reportedly told them hours before the bout that he now wanted musician Marco Antonio Barrera and WWE legend Rey Mysterio instead.

"I want to clarify this because there seems to be some confusion, and it genuinely makes me sad to think Ryan is under the impression that Oscar did not want to walk him out," Murcia wrote on X. Garcia did walk out with Barrera and Mysterio.

Garcia defends the title next in early 2027, with no opponent announced.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Ryan Garcia wanted Oscar De La Hoya for his walkout. So where was he?