Ryan Garcia will return to the ring on December 30th to fight an eight-two-minute round exhibition against Rukiya Anpo on PPV in Japan. The exhibition allows Ryan to maneuver around the one-year suspension handed down by the New York State Athletic Commission to keep making money and stay sharp for next year.
Fans aren’t excited to hear about Ryan’s exhibition match against Anpo. They don’t like the idea of paying to watch Ryan fight a non-boxer in a three-round exhibition in Japan. There have been too many exhibition matches, and people don’t want to waste their time on them.
From Ryan’s perspective, he wants to keep making money while dealing with the stiff one-year suspension he received for testing positive for a PED during his fight against Devin Haney on April 20th.
Anpo, 29, will give Ryan (24-1, 20 KOs) a tuneup before he potentially faces influencer Jake Paul in 2025. That’s who Ryan says he wants to fight next after the exhibition. Jake hasn’t responded whether he’ll agree to a fight against Ryan. It would be interesting if there were a way for Ryan to move up to cruiserweight without losing his hand speed.
“I’m looking forward to knocking Anpo out for trying to knock out the legend Manny Pacquiao,” said Ryan Garcia. “Manny is past his prime, and for him to try to knock him out rubbed me the wrong way. I will knock him out and teach him a lesson of respect.”
Manny Pacquiao and Anpo fought an exhibition last summer on July 28th in a three-rounder at the Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan. The fight was a draw, but many saw it as a one-sided thrashing dished out by Anpo, who fought like he was trying to knock Pacquiao out. He was swinging for the fences and couldn’t miss.
Ryan will need to have his chin tucked because Anpo is a much more dangerous puncher than his last opponent, Devin Haney.
