MP Promotions confirms negotiations with Ryan Garcia

MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons has confirmed that they are negotiating with the camp of 22-year-old Ryan Garcia for a potential showdown with Manny Pacquiao later this year.

The recent pronouncement by Gibbons was contrary to what Garcia’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions stated last month wherein its president Eric Gomez said there was nothing to talk about, since the fight is not happening.

“They are ongoing and hopefully things will work out,” Gibbons told boxingscene.com.

Pacquiao, 42, was eyeing a showdown with former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor but was derailed after the mixed martial arts superstar suffered a stoppage loss at UFC 257 last month.

Garcia is coming off his biggest win to date against Luke Campbell in January where he won the WBC interim lightweight title by way of seventh-round technical knockout.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, has been stripped of his WBA world welterweight title due to inactivity. He last fought against the previously unbeaten Keith Thurman in July 2019.

And while fans and scribes alike see the Pacquiao versus Garcia matchup as a massive mismatch, Gibbons stressed that anything can happen should they meet in the ring, given Garcia’s youth, punching power, and Pacquiao’s long layoff.

“The kid has youth on his side and can punch. His defense is suspect but the senator is 42-years-old and has been out of the ring for 1 year and 10 months so anything can happen.” — LA, GMA News