Ryan Garcia caught everyone’s attention when he was practically pleading to get a chance to share the ring with Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao. At first, it seemed impossible considering Conor McGregor was set to face the eight-time division champion and some other veteran names in the boxing ring.
But things changed after UFC 257 after the Irishman fell to Dustin Poirier. He suffered a KO loss in the second round, something that had left the world stunned. Seeing McGregor lose was a possibility but not in the manner that “The Diamond” finished him.
Now, a potential Pacquiao vs. McGregor clash may have suffered a big blow although nothing is definite. Regardless, it was the opportune time for “KingRy” to step up, something he did with an Instagram post.
Ryan Garcia suggets his dream is becoming a reality
(via KingRyan, JCGdesigns) pic.twitter.com/NLWydC91BR — ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) January 25, 2021
The post read: “A dream turned reality. It’s an honor to share the ring with Manny Pacquiao. I will always respect what you did in and out [of] the ring. Here’s to the best man winning.”
There are reportedly preliminary discussions on a potential fight although it would be best to identify some keywords in Garcia’s post. These were “dream” and “sharing the ring.”
Sharing the ring is what Garcia wants, meaning it may not matter if it is an official card or an exhibition. However, it does leave a bad taste in the mouth of boxing fans who preferred to see an actual clash to see who is better.
If the word being spread is true and the Pacquiao vs. Garcia fight is an exhibition, this means the Pac-Man’s WBA title won’t be on the line. And if Garcia loses, it won’t count in his official boxing record.
But how profitable is an exhibition fight between Pacquiao and Garcia? Will fans pay to watch it like the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. fight? Some are skeptical. The main reason for this is that both boxers are still active so it makes no sense to hold an exhibition.
Regardless, it could still turn out good pay-per-view numbers. Pacquiao and Garcia have a large following on social media and most would pay to see the two boxers get it on.
Pacquiao has 2.6 million followers on Twitter and 6.1 million on Instagram while Garcia has 8.2 million followers on Instagram.
For now, a Pacquiao vs. Garcia fight remains hanging although expect updates to come in soon in the coming days. It is a dream that Garcia wants to fulfill but all that may hinge on whether Team Pacquiao is up for it or not.
