INJURY UPDATE: RYAN GARCIA DODGES SURGERY; CLEARED FOR MASSIVE JULY RING RETURN
After clinching the WBC title, Ryan Garcia's hand is confirmed as "not broken," clearing the path for a 144lb catchweight mega-fight.
Ryan Garcia dodged a broken hand after his world title win over Mario Barrios, even though his hand looked pretty rough right after the fight.
That night in February was huge for Garcia. He dropped Barrios, dominated the fight, and finally got his hands on a world championship belt.
But right after the final bell, Garcia couldn’t hide the pain. His hand was swollen, and a lot of people figured it was broken. When he pulled off his glove, it looked even worse – bad enough that you’d expect the worst.
Turns out, he got lucky. Boxing reporter Mike Coppinger says Garcia’s hand isn’t broken after all. His advisor, Guadalupe Valencia, told Ring Magazine it’s just a light sprain. That’s a relief, and it means Garcia can look at a July return to the ring.
So, no rematch with Barrios. Garcia is free to chase some of the bigger names in the division, and honestly, that’s what fans want to see.
First up, there’s Conor Benn, who’s the mandatory challenger for Garcia’s WBC belt. But Benn is already booked for an April fight against Regis Prograis at 150 pounds. Since Benn only has a one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing, his next move isn’t clear, so a summer fight with Garcia is up in the air.
But Garcia seems to have someone else in mind anyway. After his win, he immediately called out Shakur Stevenson. Stevenson just picked up the WBO title at 140 pounds after a big win over Teofimo Lopez. Now, a fight between these two is actually on the table.
Stevenson isn’t shy about what he wants, though. He’s made it clear he wants VADA drug testing and a catchweight of 144 pounds for the fight. Here’s what he said: “Was VADA involved in this fight? I saw him with Rolly; he didn’t look like that. If he’s fighting me next, I’m all for the challenge, but VADA will be involved.
“We’ll meet in the middle at 144 pounds. Two big stars – we don’t need a belt for the fight.
“I think it’s a great fight to make. I’m in this for big fights. Ryan and I would have an even bigger fight, and it would be a tremendous fight.
"I want to fight him, and he wants to fight me, so it should be easy to get it done. We’ve just got to make sure he’s on VADA, and there’s no cheating involved.”
WHY NATE DIAZ SIGNED WITH JAKE PAUL’S MVP FOR MMA RETURN
Nate Diaz signs with Jake Paul’s MVP to face Mike Perry in an MMA return on the Rousey vs Carano Netflix card.
Nate Diaz is set to join the impressive undercard for the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano bout. The UFC veteran has recently signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and will take on Mike Perry at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on May 16.
Diaz hasn’t stepped into the MMA cage since he submitted Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 back in 2022. After that, he tried his hand at boxing, debuting in the ring a year later, where he lost a points decision to Jake Paul. However, he bounced back in his next boxing match by securing a win against Jorge Masvidal.
There had been buzz about a potential fight between Diaz and Conor McGregor for McGregor’s UFC return, but those plans seem to have fallen through. Their history is well-known; they split victories in 2016, with Diaz dealing McGregor his first UFC loss. Many fans were hoping for a trilogy match, possibly headlining the promotion’s historic White House card.
Now Diaz is gearing up to face Perry at welterweight, following unified MMA rules over five rounds. He’ll be sharing the card with notable names like Francis Ngannou, who recently parted ways with PFL and is scheduled to fight Philipe Lins in the co-main event.
Diaz expressed his excitement about the return, saying, “Glad to be back in action." It’s time. Don’t forget where this all came from. I’ve got plans to keep going for the next decade, wherever it takes me. Time to set the bar again; get ready for a new takeover, again and again.”
He’s been hinting at this comeback for months and even called out Perry as part of a three-fight target list earlier this year. Diaz has openly admitted he has unfinished business in combat sports, aiming to capture gold before he retires.
His signing with MVP raises questions among MMA fans about whether the UFC had discussions with him beforehand, similar to what we saw with Rousey. She revealed she had talks with UFC CEO Dana White before announcing her Netflix fight against Carano, though she later criticised the UFC as a shadow of its former self, saying it no longer delivers the best fights.
While Diaz is undoubtedly the bigger name, Perry brings his own intensity to the card. Known as 'Platinum', Perry had a stint in McGregor’s Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship after leaving the UFC in 2021. He, too, has boxed and lost to Jake Paul before making a comeback to combat sports with a win over Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82 last October.
Perry isn’t holding back, stating, “The King of Violence returns to MMA to elbow his opponent in the face.” The fight is set to be streamed on Netflix, with Perry promising Diaz will go “lights out” on May 16.
Nakisa Bidarian, MVP’s CEO, commented on the event’s massive potential, highlighting their record-breaking boxing viewership and expecting to smash those records again with this MMA card. He emphasised the matchup intensity, calling Diaz “the Real BMF” and Perry “the King of Violence", promising a battle from the first press conference through to the final bell.
This event in Los Angeles looks to be one of the biggest nights in combat sports, and Netflix’s involvement signals a bright future for MMA’s growth. More bouts for the card are expected to be announced soon, so keep an eye out for updates as the date approaches.
WHY FRANK WARREN BELIEVES RYAN GARNER IS READY FOR ELITE GOLD
Frank Warren declares Ryan Garner ready for a world title after a dominant third-round TKO win over Cristian Bielma.
Boxing promoter Frank Warren says super-featherweight Ryan Garner is just about ready to fight for a world title.
On Saturday night in Dublin, “The Piranha” made quick work of Cristian Bielma, stopping his Mexican opponent in the third round at 3Arena. Warren was clearly impressed by Garner’s performance, especially the way he handled every round.
“He did everything we asked of him tonight,” Warren said. “He was sharp, and when he needed to turn it up, he did it in style. He’s right there on the edge of a world title fight, and he’s definitely good enough to win one.”
Bielma never really challenged Garner. The Southampton native landed clean, heavy shots right from the start, leaving Bielma marked up early on. By the third, Garner had Bielma backed into a corner, piling on accurate punches until the referee stepped in to call it off.
Garner’s been dreaming about headlining a show in his hometown, Southampton, at St Mary’s Stadium. After a night like this, that dream feels within reach.
During fight week, rumours swirled that Garner could face the winner of Saturday’s main event this summer. But after Anthony Cacace beat James Dickens to claim the WBA super-featherweight title, Cacace made it clear he’s aiming higher.
“All respect to Ryan Garner, he’s a great up-and-comer,” Cacace said after his win. “But I’m after bigger names now. I want to unify the division. Emanuel Navarrete next, Saudi Arabia, wherever I am, I’ll be there.”
Navarrete currently holds the IBF and WBO super-featherweight titles.
Even though Cacace seems headed in another direction, Frank Warren is still confident Garner will get his shot soon.
“We’ll see how it all shakes out. Every fighter wants to unify belts, I get that,” Warren said. “But Ryan will fight for a world title. We’re planning a show in the south this summer; that’s what we’re aiming for. There are a few different options, but whatever happens, it’s going to be a big fight. Hopefully, it’s a world title fight.”
And about St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton? Warren didn’t hesitate: “Yep, that’s exactly what we want.”
