De La Hoya Wants Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney Rematch to Settle the Score

Oscar De La Hoya has a shortlist of exactly two names for Ryan Garcia's next fight, and both of them are world champions. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, the Golden Boy boss said he wants Garcia, the reigning WBC welterweight champion at 25-2 (20 KO), to either rematch Devin Haney or face WBA titlist Teofimo Lopez. His preference is clear: Haney was the man he wanted in the first place.

The timing matters. Garcia needed just two rounds to stop Conor Benn last month, defending his belt for the first time, and since then his list of potential opponents has pushed into double figures. De La Hoya says he hopes to sit down with Garcia soon to map out what he calls a massive next fight — and with only one bout left on Garcia's Golden Boy contract, this one carries extra weight.

Why Haney Is the Priority

The 2024 meeting still hangs over everything. Garcia dropped Haney twice and won a clear points decision, only for the result to be wiped to a no contest after he failed a drug test. Haney, now the WBO champion at a perfect 33-0 (15 KO), has unfinished business and a legitimate grievance. De La Hoya framed it as a grudge worth settling, and he pointed to Garcia's competitive streak — the kind of fighter who wants the best names on his record to prove he's the best.

The Teofimo route is messier. Lopez holds the WBA strap, but a Garcia fight wouldn't be a unification right now. The WBA has already told Lopez he must face Jack Catterall — the #9-ranked contender at 33-2 (14 KO) — or risk being stripped. That sandbox dispute makes Haney the cleaner, bigger fight on paper.

The Bigger Picture

There's a reason De La Hoya is moving quickly. With one contractual fight remaining, speculation has Garcia heading to Zuffa Boxing in 2027, possibly toward a showdown with Shakur Stevenson. Golden Boy wants to cash in on its biggest asset before that door closes, and the welterweight division is as hot as it's been in years.

Then there's the circus option. Garcia has been floated for a crossover bout with Floyd Mayweather, and he's reportedly open to it — but only if Mayweather risks his 50-0 record. That's a fight for a different kind of headline. For now, De La Hoya's message is simple: give him Haney, settle what the courts and commissions couldn't, and do it before the contract runs out.