Ryan Garcia thinks he will end his boxing career early. He plans to retire at the age of 26. But the hot prospect does not say he will give up all combat sports at that time.
The popular Garcia said on Thursday on The Rich Eisen Show that he will consider moving to MMA after his boxing career. The 22-year-old said he wants to show that he is the best fighter in the world and not just in the ring.
“If I say ‘okay, you’ve beaten everyone in the ring’ (and) someone says ‘this isn’t a real fight, the real fight is the blows, the suffocation, the obedience, all that,'” Garcia said. “I’m going to show them I’m the best fighter in the world. I’m talking about hands, I’m talking about wrestling. I’m going to MMA to show that God is the greatest. And I’m going to beat anyone in MMA, I say no. “If I have to be Conor McGregor, I’ll do it. And I don’t say that to make money, I don’t care about money. I say that just because I feel that way.”
Garcia said his plan is to give up boxing when he is 26 years old. But I wouldn’t rule out a return either.
“I still plan to retire at 26,” he said. “However, if I go back to the ring, I’ll just fight what people are saying at the time … that Ryan can’t beat them.”
Garcia (21-0) is ESPN’s No. 4 lightweight. The Californian native comes with a seventh round TKO in front of Luke Campbell to easily win the WBC interim title on January 2nd.