Teofimo Lopez: Garcia needs an exit

By Declan Taylor

RYAN GARCIA needs to delete social media and slash his entourage if he ever wants to save his boxing career.

That is the opinion of his super-lightweight rival Teofimo Lopez, who has handled his fair share of out-of-the-ring problems himself.

Garcia has now been suspended by the New York Commission for 12 months after he tested positive for the performance enhancing substance ostarine on the day before and day of his victory over Devin Haney on April 20.

The result of that fight, for which he came in 3 1/4lbs overweight, has now been changed to a no-contest, while the commission also stated that Garcia would have to forfeit the $1m he banked for his part in the fight at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn.

The commission’s ruling adds to a tumultuous period for Garcia, who set alarm bells ringing with some of his actions during the build-up to the fight, in addition to his arrest on suspicion of felony vandalism at a Beverly Hills hotel earlier this month.

Garcia had a 15-month hiatus from boxing following his January 2021 victory over Luke Campbell due to his much publicised mental health struggles, which culminated, he says, in suicidal thoughts.

Now Lopez, who has faced a similar battle himself earlier in his career, believes 25-year-old Garcia can only save himself with the help of his family.

“I think he needs to get off social media – just get out,” Lopez told Boxing News. 

“Just literally get out of the whole thing. I know he was trying to keep himself on a kind of celebratory tour after the biggest win of his career. But you have to eventually just exit out of it and get off the grid. He needs to let people wonder ‘where is Ryan Garcia?’ Instead of them seeing him everywhere. Then you get to find yourself.

“The people he has around him are young kids. They are really just absorbing all that light he has in him. They are taking it all for their own advantage. What happens is that people feel like they’re more superior and you get a lost case like you’re seeing with Ryan Garcia.

“It’s all about who you surround yourself with. It’s not necessarily the mental stuff happening on social media, you get used to it eventually. But it’s the other part – there are people around him that he doesn’t need no more and he needs to just be on his own or be with his mother during these times. Or be with his father and really regroup with his family. Just fucking stay there man, you have kids too. Be that part.”

Lopez has also come under fire for his comments about Garcia’s mother, Lisa, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Lopez seemingly implied that her cancer was a result of Garcia ‘selling his soul’. The quotes, unsurprisingly, upset Garcia, who has threatened to hurt Lopez the next time the pair cross paths.

But, speaking directly to Garcia via Boxing News, Lopez said: “I’m talking to Ryan Garcia here. I know you want to fight me when you see me in person. That’s fine. I didn’t mean no bad towards your mother in that essence. If you really look into it, I did say I really do wish your mum nothing but health. Cancer is not something to play with.

“But people are going to say what they’re going to say and tell you specifically that part of it and not talk about the good that I meant. But to each his own. If you want to duke it out outside the ring, I’ve got to defend myself, brother. So you’ve got to be the stupid guy to throw first, I’ve got to defend myself. I won’t be the guy to punch you, that’s not how we do things around here. My fighting is in the ring and I’ve always been expressive on that. 

“Don’t focus on outside noise. Focus on the things in your life that really matter. Because all that money doesn’t come with you – it’s going to go. I don’t even mean you harm, brother. You can say I’m a liar but I don’t lie. Wishing you nothing but the best, again.”