Ryan Garcia Says He Is Fighting Isaac Cruz In May

Ryan Garcia says he will fight Isaac Cruz in his next fight in May following the conclusion of his boxing ban.
Garcia was given a year ban after failing VADA tests for Ostarine against Devin Haney. He was prevented from boxing until April 2025 as his majority decision win was overturned. Garcia was adamant that he had not taken any substances intentionally. Meanwhile, his camp also argued that the amount in his system was insufficient to enhance performance. There have been talks over a Haney rematch, with reports that it could take place later in October.
Haney would have to drop his lawsuit, which he has done. Meanwhile, Garcia would be required to undergo VADA testing. Reports indicate that these hurdles have been overcome, with both sides agreeing to those stipulations. But before that can happen, Garcia must prepare for one of the biggest fights of his career.
He had been linked with the Cruz fight before he faced Haney last April. But Cruz pulled out at the last minute as he later went on to face Rolando Romero. Cruz won the WBA Junior Welterweight Title with a stoppage win over Romero. But he lost the belt in his last fight, coming up short against Jose Valenzuela. A win over Cruz will likely help Garcia secure the Haney rematch. Haney is also on course to return in April on BLK Prime. Reports indicate that Adrien Broner is the leading opponent.
Garcia Reacts
Garcia cannot afford to overlook Cruz, who only has two losses in his career. The other one was against Gervonta Davis. But he was praised for managing to go the distance against a knockout artist. Garcia knows he will be in a tough fight since Cruz is known for coming forward. He is also known for having a solid chin and durability, which has drawn him comparisons with Mike Tyson.
But Garcia will want to remind fans that he is a knockout artist, as he possesses a devastating left hook. If Cruz continues to move forward, Garcia will have a bigger target to aim for. It will also help prepare him for any Haney rematch since it will remove any ring rust that he may have suffered during his time out.
“Yes, In May. We’re going to be fighting there. It’ll be good. Another big fight. I’m ready to do it. Pitbull is still a great fighter. He may have lost one time [correction: 3 times], but fans love him. He’s a big f****. There were so many people in London, and they were all meeting with Turki. It’s nuts.
“Times Square, yes. Me and Pitbull were going to fight in many occasions. It never went down. I feel this is a fight that fans wanted for a long time until he [Pitbull Cruz] lost [to Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela on August 3rd]. I don’t think it should make no difference. He’s still an explosive fighter. Rayo boxed a great fighter, so you can’t take anything away from him either,” Garcia said
Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com.