Terence Crawford and Ryan Garcia react to reports of December fight: “I’m ready”

Oscar Pick

Terence Crawford and Ryan Garcia react to reports of December fight: “I’m ready”
Image credit: Getty

Terence Crawford and Ryan Garcia have offered conflicting reactions to the reported idea of them colliding as a replacement for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua.

According to The Ring’s Mike Coppinger, issues behind the scenes could prevent the two British heavyweights from fighting on the scheduled date of December 11.

This is in spite of their long-awaited showdown being announced earlier this week, with Fury and Joshua having seemingly agreed to lock horns at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

If their clash was to go up in smoke, however, then Turki Alalshikh may explore the possibility – or is perhaps doing so already – of organising a contest between Crawford and Garcia.

Crawford did, of course, announce his retirement last December, calling time on a glittering career that saw him become a three-division undisputed champion.

He did so by moving up to 168lbs and dethroning Canelo Alvarez with a comprehensive unanimous decision victory, having previously won world titles at four lower divisions.

Garcia, meanwhile, is coming off a successful WBC title defence against Conor Benn, who he floored and stopped in the second round of their encounter earlier this month.

In doing so, the 28-year-old retained the world welterweight title he claimed by dethroning Mario Barrios in February and, perhaps more importantly, kept himself in the mix for a major opportunity.

He has, therefore, taken to social media and notified Alalshikh that he is prepared to face Crawford later this year.

“You know I’m ready Turki to run the fade. I’m ready!!!!”

Crawford, on the other hand, was a little more confused that, at 38 years old, he is being linked to a fight with Garcia.

“Damn, am I [fighting Garcia]? Why I don’t know about this?”

Crawford also replied to Coppinger’s post with, ‘Where you hear this at?’, having clearly not been told about this ambiguous plan to bring him out of retirement.

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