Ryan Garcia made headlines by challenging Conor McGregor to a match in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and vowed to defeat Sean O’Malley in mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. The boxer discussed his interest in competing in Japan, especially in the RIZIN promotion, following his one-year suspension for doping. Garcia expressed his eagerness to take on top UFC fighters in either MMA or bare-knuckle fights, specifically targeting O’Malley and McGregor. He also acknowledged his past controversies, such as being expelled from the WBC for inappropriate social media conduct and a misdemeanor vandalism charge.
At the Super RIZIN 3 event in Japan, Garcia challenged Manny Pacquiao and Rukiya Anpo after their exhibition match ended in a draw. Anpo, a former K-1 champion, caught Garcia’s attention due to his considerable height advantage over Pacquiao. Garcia explained that he was motivated to confront Anpo because of his aggressive tactics against Pacquiao and now seeks to face him in a legitimate fight. RIZIN has a history of showcasing boxing greats like Floyd Mayweather in exhibition matches, which inspired Garcia to consider competing in Japan and demonstrating his talents to the Japanese audience.
