Oscar De La Hoya says he wants Ryan Garcia to face Devin Haney next rather than take a stay-busy fight following his recent title victor.
Speaking to DAZN, De La Hoya dismissed the idea of giving Garcia an interim bout before returning to a major fight. Instead, he pointed directly to a rematch with Haney as the most logical next step.
According to De La Hoya, Haney deserves another opportunity after their previous meeting and the ongoing exchanges between the two fighters. He also emphasized that Garcia’s recent performance against Barrios demonstrated that the former lightweight champion is now stronger both mentally and physically.
A potential rematch would depend on several factors aligning. Haney is currently in negotiations for a May 30 welterweight bout with WBA champion Rolando Romero, which could complicate the timeline for a Garcia fight.
Despite those complications, De La Hoya made his stance clear, saying he does not want Garcia to take a tune-up bout while waiting for the division to settle.
Image Credit: DAZN