Chronology:

1. Modern-day ODLH clone (young, handsome, LA product, Mexican roots) Ryan Garcia gets off to a fast start in his career at lightweight.
2. Media, starved for another DLH, laps it up. Ryan enhances the image calling himself "King", wearing a crown, and amassing almost 10 million followers on Instagram and 5 more on Tik Tok.
3. He gets a win over legitimate opponent Luke Campbell in 2021... and it's "off to the races."
4. He clamors (demands) a showdown with Gervonta Davis, and has the UNMITIGATED GALL to state that whoever wins this will become "the (cough) face of boxing." HOW SO?? No one knows.
5. He gets schooled... then knocked out by Davis. (His Instagram following didn't even blink).

Meanwhile...

1. Ryan says he's moving up to 140. (This gets the wheels turning in the boxing establishment).
2. The WBA declares 140-champ Alberto Puello "champion-in-recess" (whatever the hell that means) due to a failed PED test.
3. The WBA rules that 40-year old Venezuelan fighter Ismael Barroso (WBA mandatory) will face 5th-ranked Rolando Romero for the now vacated title.
4. Granted... the WBA also said the winner of that fight would need to face British fighter Ohara Davies next.

But...

1. Ryan is looking to move up to 140.
2. He's gonna want to slingshot to the top, because that's how it's done nowadays, especially with young, handsome, social media phenoms.
3. He's gonna find that three of the champions of the division are:

  • Josh Taylor (WBO) - Assuming he gets by Teófimo on June 10th
  • Regis Prograis (WBC)
  • Subriel Matias (IBF)



Now... you all get one guess as to where Ryan will set his sights.

Exactly.


My guess is, either "A": Ryan waits patiently and quietly until Romero-Davies gets sorted out.

Or "B": The powers that be decide that Ryan vs Romero is what the public (cough) wants now... and that THAT is the next PPV mega attraction, and whoever wins will THEN be the new face of boxing.

Either way, Ryan's path to a shiny new trinket to go with his shiny crown will be paved and smoothed out, in order to ensure the least bit of turbulence along the way.



Any other theories?