Ryan Garcia has a pretty clear vision of how he wants to finish his run with Golden Boy Promotions, and he’s not shy about facing a big fish.
Garcia plans to conclude his tenure with the promotional company following his WBC welterweight title defense against Conor Benn in Las Vegas. He enters this Sep. 12 bout with major momentum after dominating Mario Barrios via a twelve-round unanimous decision on Feb. 21 to capture the WBC crown.
Following the match against Benn, he aims to exit his contract by challenging the winner of the Rolando Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez bout in pursuit of a career-defining sendoff fight.
Ryan Garcia Names His Preferred Golden Boy Finale
The August 22 fight between Rolando Romero and Teofimo Lopez, which airs live on DAZN and Prime Video pay-per-view, directly impacts Ryan Garcia’s next move. While Romero holds the WBA welterweight title he won against Garcia in Times Square back in May 2025, Garcia is not looking for a rematch.
Instead, his main target is Lopez, who moves up to 147 pounds to chase a title in a third weight class after losing his WBO junior welterweight belt to Shakur Stevenson in January.
Garcia openly told Ring Magazine that he wants the winner of this fight, but he specifically expects Lopez to win and serves as the primary target for his Golden Boy sendoff.
“I want to win. I want to fight Teofimo, Rolly’s the winner. That’s what I want to end my Golden Boy career with,” Garcia said. “Probably Teofimo. I feel like Teofimo has his number. I think the sparring is going to play a part in it. They’re both going to have a sense of hesitation because of the sparring, but I think Teofimo really believes in himself. He knows what to do to Rolly.”
When asked about settling the score with Romero, Garcia said, “Not really, man. That’s not my best. One day, if I can complete a side mission to redeem myself for that or write that wrong, I will. But I feel like I have bigger fish to fry.”
🚨 Ryan Garcia wants to face the winner of Teofimo Lopez vs Rolly Romero next 👀
“I want to fight Teofimo vs Rolly as the winner. That’s what I want to end my Golden Boy career with.”
Via (@ringmagazine) pic.twitter.com/b6glZrXDe1
— Source of Boxing (@Sourceofboxing) August 1, 2026
The August 22 result settles who Garcia will target next, putting him right back in the center of the welterweight picture. The irony? If Romero wins, Garcia may have no choice but to take the rematch to settle the score, forcing him into the exact side mission he is currently trying to avoid.
ALSO READ: Las Vegas Undercard Fights Deliver Big Bang and Shocking Knockout
Of course, this entire plan hinges on Sep. 12. If Garcia falls to Conor Benn, he loses his WBC title and his leverage, completely shattering his vision for a grand Golden Boy sendoff.
Why Ryan Garcia Is Ending His Journey With Golden Boy Promotions
Garcia started with Golden Boy Promotions as a top prospect in Nov. 2016. While the partnership became highly lucrative, public feuds with Oscar De La Hoya and legal disputes over broadcast rights damaged the relationship. With his contract expiring soon, Garcia plans to leave the company once he fulfills his current obligations.
Golden Boy and Zuffa Boxing are co-promoting his upcoming Sept. 12 fight against Conor Benn. Once he completes this fight and hooks the winner of the Romero-Lopez bout, Garcia plans to operate as a promotional free agent to build his own brand, Ryan Garcia Promotions.
