Promoter Oscar De La Hoya said it’s too early to outline Ryan Garcia’s next steps after Saturday night’s win over Oscar Duarte. De La Hoya, head of Golden Boy Promotions, was also quick to praise his high-profile client, with whom he has been on increasingly hostile terms. Their fractured relationship was overshadowed by the lawsuit leading up to Saturday night, when Garcia publicly accused De La Hoya and Golden Boy partner Bernard Hopkins of rooting for him. Garcia, 25, stopped Mexico’s Duarte in eight rounds in a 143-pound bout at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
“He did what he had to do,” De La Hoya told reporters after the fight. “That’s what you expect, a good fight. Oscar is a tough guy. That’s why I always said, ‘Man, I’m so surprised he picked him because Oscar is tough.'” But Ryan did what he had to do. “He wore everything he worked on in the gym. Distance, boxing, right hand, boxing. I’m proud of him, man. After the fight, Garcia challenged Rolando Romero for the WBA 140-pound title. It’s unclear if that fight could happen as soon as Romero is affiliated with Premier Boxing Champions, Golden Boy’s rival outfit. De La Hoya was coy when asked about Garcia’s next steps. “I don’t know,” De La Hoya said. “I didn’t even think about that. We have to go back to the drawing board. As his promoter for many years, we’ll figure it out and come up with a plan. Then we’ll go back to the drawing board. . “I’m proud of him, man. I’m proud of any fighter. When you fight in the ring, you feel so many emotions. It’s a big struggle outside the ring, especially after a loss, you go back and think that everyone is your enemy, and after a win, everything is great. Bro, I’ve been there.