Ryan Garcia undergoes right hand surgery, plans for fall fight in limbo
Exacerbated preexisting injury in decision loss to Rolando Romero
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Ryan Garcia underwent surgery to repair his injured right hand on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
“I went and got the surgery for my hand and what I needed to get done,” Garcia wrote on social media. “I never used that as an excuse for my fight. The media is going to report the surgery. I’m just blessed it was done and successful. Thank you to all for the love and support from the community and people who have been supporting me in my career love yall.”
Garcia had the procedure, which was performed by noted hand specialist Dr. Steven Shin of Cedars-Sinai Orthopedics, in the wake of his upset decision loss to Rolando Romero for the vacant WBA “regular” welterweight title as they both moved in weight for the bout on May 2 in the main event of the first card to take place outdoors in New York’s Times Square.
Romero, the heavy underdog, knocked Garcia down in the second round and won the extremely slow-paced fight 118-109, 115-112 and 115-112.
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Guadalupe Valencia, Garcia’s adviser, told Fight Freaks Unite that Garcia’s recovery time is approximately 4 to 6 weeks and that Garcia entered the bout with Romero with the hand already a problem, which he then further injured in the bout.
“He had an injury before the fight, which is well documented from his cancellation of the December exhibition,” Valencia said. “However, it was being treated, and we believed it would be OK. But, obviously, that wasn't the case. It was reinjured during the fight.
“We expect Ryan will be healed and back in the ring in the fall. We want to avoid long layoffs. We are determined, this time around, to keep him busy in the ring. The year layoff was not good.”
Sports Illustrated first reported that Garcia was to undergo hand surgery.
Garcia faced Romero in his first fight in 13 months since outpointing Devin Haney by majority decision in April 2024. But the victory was overturned by the New York State Athletic Commission to a no contest because Garcia had two positive drug tests for the banned performance-enhancing drug Ostarine. Garcia was also suspended for one year and forfeited his entire $1.1 million purse as part of a settlement with the commission.
Garcia was scheduled to have an exhibition bout against Japanese kickboxing star Rukiya Anpo on Dec. 30 in Tokyo — allowable despite the suspension because it was not an official bout. However, Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs), 26, of Los Angeles, pulled out of the bout due to a wrist injury two weeks before the event and was treated by Shin, who has previously performed hand surgery on the likes of Canelo Alvarez and Vasiliy Lomachenko.
That Garcia’s hand was not at full health against Romero (17-2, 13 KOs), 29, of Las Vegas, seems apparent given how few punches he threw. Neither of them lit things up as Garcia threw just 210 punches and Romero 280, making their combined output of 490 blows the fourth fewest in a 12-round bout ever recorded in the 40-year history of CompuBox.
Garcia’s loss as well as Haney’s decision win over faded former unified junior welterweight titlist Jose Ramirez in the co-feature — also an agonizingly boring fight that ranks sixth on the all-time CompuBox list for fewest punches thrown in a 12-rounder (503) — derailed plans for Garcia and former undisputed lightweight champion and former WBC junior welterweight titlist Haney (32-0, 15 KOs), 26, of Las Vegas, to meet in an already agreed upon rematch in the fall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“I just found myself very off after a year layoff,” Garcia said after the fight. “That whole year was a lot for me mentally. The fact that I got here and I’m in the position I’m in, my mind is as clear as it is, is a victory for me I would say. I’m extremely disappointed in the way I fought and it definitely wasn’t my best in any way.”
Garcia never brought up anything about his hand after the fight.
Even if Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi Arabian official and The Ring magazine owner who bankrolled the Times Square card, wanted to still go forward with the bout, Garcia promoter Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy has no plans to do it, telling FightHype he has “zero” interest it.
Valencia said before they plan any fight for Garcia, he first has to let the hand heal.
“”We need to get his hand healthy and then we will have a discussion about his next fight this fall,” Valencia said. “Romero and Haney are both attractive fights. I just don't want to get ahead of the most important thing — his health.
“I’m confident he will recover physically, mentally, and will return really hungry this fall. Ryan will have an elite performance in his next fight, that is am certain about.”
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Garcia photo: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom Boxing
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