Ryan Garcia Ready to Fight Sean O’Malley in UFC or Bare Knuckle Boxing

The gates of boxing have closed for Ryan Garcia, at least, till 20th April 2025, after the New York State Athletic Commission imposed the ban alongside the million-plus purse clawback and his win converted into a no-contest. So, ‘King Ry’ has suggested he is retiring from the sport for at least a year, but expressed openness to facing UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley.

The thing is, Sean O’Malley and Ryan Garcia have previously had a back-and-forth about getting in the boxing ring. However, after Garcia’s suspension from the sport, a boxing match is out of the question. So, on Friday when a reporter from TMZ Sports caught up with the Victorville native, he revealed he would fight ‘Suga’ Sean in the octagon or in a bare-knuckle fight.

Ryan Garcia is open to fight anyone

By staying out of the ring for over a year, Ryan Garcia is losing out on at the very least two bouts, which, if history is any proof, made him millions just from the purse. So, it would be a safe bet to say that the most popular boxer on the internet is truly desperate to keep the money flowing in. Speaking to a TMZ Sports reporter while strolling on the streets of Los Angeles, Garcia expressed his desire to look elsewhere for fights.

He said, “I like ‘Suga’ Sean [O’Malley] cause he defended me [after cheating allegations]. But if he really wants to run it in the UFC, I’ll run it. Or bare knuckle. S***, I’m ready to fight anyone at this point”. Obviously, Garcia isn’t signed with the UFC and has never fought in a mixed-martial arts setting before. However, UFC top honcho Dana White is a sharp businessman, with an eye for big fights. 

White found a way to make the Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather fight in a different setting, so a fight between his bantamweight champion and Garcia shouldn’t be that difficult, especially since it could take in millions. And the good news is…

Sean O’Malley says he could beat ‘The Flash’

While Ryan Garcia is eager to get his hands on the UFC bantamweight champion, the latter isn’t backing down from a fight either. Actually, he has spoken about facing Garcia more than he has about fighting his opponents in the UFC at least of late. Not to mention, O’Malley isn’t happy about Garcia previously claiming he could beat O’Malley in an MMA bout.

So, while appearing in the BS w/ Jake Paul podcast a few days ago, the 29-year-old said, “He has a lot better chances of beating me in a boxing match than he does in a real fight….. I can box, I can throw hands. I don’t think it would be easy by any means. I do think it’s possible that I beat him”. However, it’s worth mentioning that nothing has been confirmed, and it will probably take some time if it were to happen.

With the boxing walls closing in on Ryan Garcia, the 25-year-old is looking for challenges in other disciplines. And with his popularity and penchant for drama, a fight shouldn’t really take much to make. Do you think Sean O’Malley should fight Garcia in MMA?