De La Hoya: No progress in Pacquiao-Garcia negotiation


Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya bared that there has been "zero" movement regarding the much-hyped fight between his stalwart Ryan Garcia and Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

"We haven't talked to anybody yet. We're trying to pin down one of Manny's people, who calls the shots, who makes the decision. And we haven't had any success," De La Hoya recently told Fight Hub TV. "It's just all Instagram, that's how it is."

It would be recalled that Garcia, the interim WBC lightweight champion, was the first one to announce on social media that he'll be clashing with Pacquiao soon, even calling it "a dream turned reality" and hyping it up with a poster of his own.

Several reports then disclosed that nothing has been finalized yet while other media outlets revealed that Pacquiao is more interested in facing WBO welterweight king Terence Crawford.

Audie Attar of Paradigm Sports Management, Pacquiao's handler, earlier announced that the boxer-turned-senator and his legal team in Manila are still in discussion.

That said, De La Hoya isn't giving up on Pacquiao's camp just yet but vowed to prepare "some good plans" for the undefeated American youngster.  Aside from Pacquiao, the likes of lightweight big guns in Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, Teófimo López and Jorge Linares are in Garcia's radar.

Read: Exhibition or not, Garcia eyes knockout win over Pacquiao

Garcia, 22, first set sights on Davis before shifting his focus on the Filipino boxing icon.

"We'll see what transpires in the next few days but we have some good plans for Ryan. I mean, he's the next superstar in boxing," said the Golden Boy Promotions chief. "I actually love it (Pacquiao-Garcia). It could be the passing of the torch."

Garcia recently maintained a perfect 21-0 record with 18 knockouts after stunning Luke Campbell in early January for the interim WBC lightweight title while Pacquiao, 42, has not fought since scoring a split decision victory over Keith Thurman in July 2019 to improve at 62-7-2 slate with 39 KOs.

Pacquiao, who recently got stripped of his super WBA welterweight belt and was named "champion in recess" due to inactivity, has been dropping hints for his comeback through social media by posting workout clips and announcing that "training camp has begun."