Notebook: Rocky relationship bogging down Garcia, Golden Boy

Tszyu bitten by dog, defense in jeopardy; Kambosos-Hughes eliminator set with Keyshawn Davis in co-feature; Conlan reflects on loss; Quick hits; Show and tell

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The relationship between Ryan Garcia and Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya has, to put it mildly, seen its share of strains over the years and the issues appear ongoing.

It has been a little over a month since Garcia suffered a seventh-round body-shot knockout loss to Gervonta “Tank” Davis in their 136-pound mega Showtime PPV fight that generated 1.2 million pay-per-buys, dramatically exceeding the expectations of the promoters and Showtime, and $22.8 million in ticket sales from the sold-out crowd of 20,842 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. That is the fifth-biggest gate in Nevada boxing history.

Garcia has since parted ways with trainer Joe Goossen and hired reigning trainer of the year Derrick James, and is already in the early stages of trying to plan his ring return for the fall.

After Rolly Romero won the vacant WBA junior welterweight title by massively controversial ninth-round stoppage of Ismael Barroso on May 13, he called out Garcia.

“I want to go after Ryan Garcia. Ryan Garcia at 140 is a pay-per-view,” Romero said at the time. “Let’s do that shit on Showtime (PPV). Let’s make that shit happen.”

Garcia responded to him on social media this past weekend: “Okay, Rolly, you asked for it. Let’s get it. This one is for Barroso.”

Garcia later wrote that besides Romero, he also has interest in fighting lightweight contender Isaac Cruz “if he’s willing to go to 140” and Teofimo Lopez “depending on outcome” of his challenge to WBO/lineal junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor on June 11.

Each of those fights likely would be difficult to make because of promotional and broadcaster differences. Garcia is with Golden Boy and DAZN while Romero and Cruz are with Premier Boxing Champions and fight on Showtime and Lopez is with Top Rank and fights on ESPN.

So, when De La Hoya tweeted that he was ready to sit down with Garcia and his representative to get to work on his next fight that was no surprise.

“Can’t wait to meet with Ryan Garcia team on Tuesday. The 4 fighters I have lined up as his potential opponents are fire,” De La Hoya posted.

That elicited push back from Garcia adviser/attorney Guadalupe Valencia, who said the supposed Tuesday meeting did not take place and that there are no plans for a meeting.

“Neither Ryan Garcia nor his representatives have or had a meeting with Oscar or Golden Boy to set an opponent for the next fight,” Valencia told Fight Freaks Unite on Tuesday.

Valencia said Garcia is still upset with De La Hoya for failing to show up at the post-fight news conference following his loss to Davis. De La Hoya said later that there had been death threats against him and his security detail wanted him to leave the T-Mobile Arena after the fight — even though it was cleared of the public after the fight, leaving only those involved in the event, media members and building staff.

Valencia also said that Garcia enjoyed his experience working with Showtime.

DAZN had tremendous problems delivering the Showtime PPV broadcast of Davis-Garcia to its customers as one of the platforms that sold the pay-per-view.

If Garcia (23-1, 19 KOs), 24, of Los Angeles, fights Romero (15-1, 13 KOs) or Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs), his preference would be to do it with Showtime PPV. In making Davis-Garcia, Golden Boy and DAZN eventually agreed to allow Showtime to spearhead the event production and distribution because Garcia was so insistent on making the fight at all costs. Davis was already an established pay-per-view fighter, making it a deal-breaker for Showtime and PBC.

However, Golden Boy and DAZN would take a much different view of allowing Garcia to fight on Showtime PPV against Romero or Cruz, neither of whom are remotely a draw like Garcia, who is one of boxing’s biggest stars.

But if Garcia is going to fight this fall, as he plans to do, he and Valencia will need to work something out with Golden Boy, which has him under contract until the end of 2026 and has every intention of fulfilling its obligations to him by offering him a fight — and having DAZN handle it.

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Tszyu suffers dog bite

WBO interim junior middleweight titlist Tim Tszyu suffered a dog bite this week that required surgery and stitches, and has put his defense against Carlos Ocampo in jeopardy.

Tszyu, who is awaiting a mandatory shot at injured undisputed champion Jermell Charlo, is scheduled to make his first interim defense against Ocampo (34-2, 22 KOs), 27, of Mexico, on June 17 (Showtime in U.S., Foxtel Main Event and Kayo Sports PPV in Australia, where it will be June 18) at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Australia.

However, when Tszyu (22-0, 16 KOs), 28, of Australia, was at a social gathering a dog attacked him and badly bit his right forearm, according to Tszyu promoter No Limit Boxing.

Tszyu still wants to fight but whether he can will depend on the outcome of upcoming exams and making sure there is no infection. No Limit said a decision is likely to be made by the end of the week.

“Like everyone, I was shocked and worried when I first heard the news,” No Limit Boxing CEO George Rose said. “It’s certainly not the ideal preparation anytime a fighter ends up in hospital a few weeks out from world title fight but the best news right now is that Tim is doing OK.

“He has the best and most experienced team around him in world boxing. They have reassured me he’ll be more than ready to take on Ocampo. If they’re confident, I’m confident.”

Tszyu manager Glen Jennings termed the wound “superficial.”

“The post surgical report is all good,” Jennings said. “There is no doubt that Tim will be ready and 100 percent healthy and focused to take on Carlos Ocampo.”

Kambosos-Hughes official

Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. will face Maxi Hughes in an IBF title eliminator that will headline a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card July 22 (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET) at FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma, Top Rank made official on Tuesday.

The expected fight will be Kambosos’ first since extending his promotional agreement with Lou DiBella and signing a co-promotional deal with Top Rank about two weeks ago.

“I am extremely excited and motivated to make a serious statement against Maxi Hughes in my return fight in the United States,” Kambosos said. “Having fought the best lightweight boxers in the world, I now know I have become an even better fighter and have added further artillery and weapons to my overall fight game. Maxi Hughes is a good boxer, a tough Englishman, and I’m sure he will try his best, but I know and he knows that his best will not be enough.”

The fight will also be Kambosos’ first action since he lost back-to-back lopsided decisions to Devin Haney, first in a unification fight for the undisputed 135-pound title in June and in the October rematch.

“George Kambosos Jr. is still one of the lightweight division’s premier attractions, and he has the chance to get right back to title contention with a win over an upset-minded Maxi Hughes,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said.

DiBella said Kambosos (20-2, 10 KOs), 29, of Australia, did not want a soft touch for a comeback fight.

“George insisted on a meaningful fight to begin his comeback,” DiBella said. “He’s never taken the easy route. Maxi Hughes is a legit top 10 lightweight and a high-risk fight for George coming off two losses against Devin Haney. For Maxi, this is the opportunity he’s been fighting for. This is his chance to prove that all of those fights he won as the underdog meant something.”

Hughes (26-5-2, 5 KOs), 33, a southpaw from England, has won seven in a row, most recently a majority 12-round upset decision over former featherweight titlist Kid Galahad in September.

“I’m excited to realize my dream of fighting in the USA and to showcase my skills to a new audience,” Hughes said. “I’ll do what’s necessary to get the win.”

In the 10-round co-feature, lightweight Keyshawn Davis (8-0, 6 KOs), 24, of Norfolk, Virginia, who was the 2022 Fight Freaks Unite prospect of the year and a 2020 U.S. Olympic silver medalist, will face former European champion Francesco Patera (28-3, 10 KOs), 30, of Belgium.

“I belong with all the top lightweights, and Patera is the next one in the way,” Davis said. “And just like my eight opponents before him, Patera will have no answer for what I’m bringing to the table. This is going to be a brutal night for him, however long it lasts.”

Patera has won 10 fights in a row and will box in the U.S. for the first time.

“I am coming to Shawnee to put on a spectacular performance, defeat Keyshawn Davis, and show everyone that I belong on the world stage,” Patera said.

Conlan reflects on loss

Featherweight contender Michael Conlan assured his fans that he is OK following a brutal fifth-round knockout loss challenging IBF titlist Luis Alberto Lopez on Saturday at SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Conlan’s hometown.

“I’m good folks,” Conlan posted to social media. “Wasn’t at the races (Saturday), couldn’t seem to get going and paid the price for it. Congratulations to ‘Venado’ Lopez on a great performance. I wish you all the best in the future. Thank you for the opportunity.

“Thanks to everyone who reached out and wished me luck. I can’t get back to you all but I appreciate it! I’m gonna take some time away from social media now to enjoy my family and decide what the next steps for me are. Again thank you Belfast for an amazing atmosphere and turn out!”

It was Conlan’s second harsh knockout loss in his past four fights, the other coming via spectacular 12th-round KO challenging Leigh Wood for the WBA title in March 2022. Conlan (18-2, 9 KOs), 31, traveled to Nottingham, England, Wood’s hometown, dropped him in the first round and was ahead on all three scorecards going into the 12th round of what had been a tremendous battle. But then Wood knocked him literally out of the ring for the KO of the year to retain the title in what many picked as the fight of the year.

Quick hits

WBA featherweight titlist Leigh Wood (27-3, 16 KOs), 34, of England, who regained the belt by one-sided decision against Mauricio Lara in a rematch Saturday, was ordered by the WBA on Tuesday to begin negotiations with mandatory challenger Otabek Kholmatov (11-0, 10 KOs), 24, of Uzbekistan. Kholmatov pummeled then-undefeated Thomas Patrick Ward in a one-sided fifth-round knockout in a final eliminator on March 4. They have until June 29 to make a deal or the WBA will call a purse bid, which would be a 75-25 split in Wood’s favor. The fight is supposed to take place no later than Sept. 26.

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In order to avoid conflicting with the Errol Spence Jr.-Terence Crawford mega fight in Las Vegas on July 29, Top Rank, which had an ESPN+ card planned for that night at The Palms in Las Vegas, will move the event to July 28 at the same venue and still with WBC/WBA women’s strawweight titlist Seniesa Estrada slated to headline. Estrada (24-0, 9 KOs), 30, of Los Angeles, will make her third defense against Leonela Yudica (19-1-3, 1 KO), 34, of Argentina, the former long-reigning IBF flyweight titleholder, a source with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite. Yudica will drop down in weight for the fight.

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Canadian promoter Eye of the Tiger’s card headlined by Canadian-based Armenian super middleweight Erik Bazinyan (29-0, 21 KOs), 28, against Mexico’s Jose de Jesus Macias (28-11-4, 14 KOs), 31, in a 10-rounder will stream on ESPN+ on Thursday (6:30 p.m. ET) from Casino de Montreal in Montreal, Top Rank, which has U.S. rights to EOTT events, announced. The stream will also include four other bouts, including a 10-round junior welterweight fight between Canadian Steve Claggett (34-7-2, 24 KOs), 33, who has won five in a row, against former junior lightweight titlist Alberto Machado (23-3, 19 KOs), 32, a southpaw from Puerto Rico, who will have his second fight since moving up to 140 pounds.

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Per the California State Athletic Commission, official purses from the Golden Boy/DAZN card on Saturday night: Alexis Rocha $300,000, Anthony Young $90,000; Oscar Duarte $50,000, D’Angelo Keyes $20,000; Melvin Jerusalem $114,000, Oscar Collazo $38,000; John Ramirez $25,000, Fernando Diaz $13,000; Eric Priest $8,000, Ricardo Villalba $10,000; Johnny Canas $5,000, Jose Valenzuela Alvarado $1,500; Leonardo Sanchez $2,000, Uhlices Avelino-Reyes $2,500.

Show and tell

Mike Tyson had drilled Trevor Berbick to win the WBC title to become the youngest heavyweight champion and in his first defense routed James “Bonecrusher” Smith in a unification fight to claim the WBA belt. Next up, Tyson defended the unified title against Pinklon Thomas, a very credible opponent and the former WBC titlist, whose lone defeat had come by decision when he lost the belt to Berbick. Thomas was riding a three-fight winning streak after losing the title when he had the misfortune of squaring off with Tyson, who was in the early days of his devastating first title reign. Ultimately, Tyson unloaded a series of huge punches in the sixth round to knock Thomas out.

In the co-feature of the Don King-promoted HBO card at the Las Vegas Hilton, Tony Tucker won the vacant IBF heavyweight title against James “Buster” Douglas, who was highly competitive before quitting in the 10th round to earn a reputation for having no heart, which he eventually disproved when he stood up to Tyson in a great fight and knocked him out in a monumental upset to win the undisputed title. The Tyson-Thomas/Tucker-Douglas heavyweight title doubleheader took place on May 30, 1987 — 36 years ago on Tuesday. Here is a very scarce thin cardboard site poster in my collection.

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Photos: Tszyu: Esther Lin/Showtime; Conlan/Conlan Boxing

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