Ryan Garcia continues to claim that a blockbuster showdown against Floyd Mayweather is locked in for next year.
Mayweather has spent his retirement, announced in 2017, on the exhibition circuit, sharing the ring with influencers and combat sports stars.
Earlier this year, he announced a professional comeback – a rematch with Manny Pacquiao, which subsequently fell through due to legal issues.
The 50-0 star continues to claim that he will return for a big fight in 2027, and, according to Garcia, it will be for the WBC welterweight world title.
Whether the bout actually materialises or not remains to be seen, but the idea of the matchup makes for an intriguing debate – can the defensive master, even at 49 years old, protect his undefeated record against an explosive champion in his prime?
Multi-weight undisputed great Terence Crawford has now weighed in on the clash, telling FightHype that, despite Mayweather’s age and inactivity, Garcia has no chance.
“Of course [I’ve got Floyd]. Ryan can’t f**k with Floyd right now. No. Ryan ain’t skilled enough to beat Floyd. It’s just simple.”
Crawford has extremely different opinions of both men, once stating that he feels Mayweather is the only man he may have struggled with in the ring, and even in this interview branding him the ‘GOAT.’
Garcia, on the other hand, has not received anywhere near that praise. ‘Bud’ has made it clear that he does not rate the 28-year-old’s ability and has laughed off calls for him to end his retirement and settle their rivalry in the ring.
As for the Garcia-Mayweather bout and its likelihood, most in the sport are sceptical, particularly given Mayweather’s tendency this year to announce fights – Mike Tyson, Pacquiao – and not deliver. He has most recently said he will face Australia’s Matt Floyd in an exhibition next month.
Garcia has targeted a February return, and has plenty of options outside of Mayweather. A unification bout with Teofimo Lopez, however, recently suffered a major blow.
