With a host of major fights in the works, Golden Boy Promoter Oscar De La Hoya has revealed his intention to bolster the boxing schedule and get one blockbuster event over the line, seeking to deliver the fight that ‘everybody wants to see’.
A number of showdowns are being touted at present, with the long-awaited meeting between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua set for the end of the year, whilst Manny Pacquiao is also set to embark on a mission to break his own record as boxing’s oldest ever welterweight world champion.
One other fight that has been in the pipeline throughout 2026 is Ryan Garcia’s mandatory defence of the WBC welterweight crown against Britain’s Conor Benn, with an announcement for the event being teased ever since Benn’s April win over Regis Prograis.
Yet, De La Hoya, promoter of Garcia, had maintained that he had not been approached for the proposed bout, lowering expectations of a reported September 12 fight date in Las Vegas, which had been announced by Garcia.
Now, in a surprise twist, De La Hoya has taken to Instagram to confirm that he is now actively working on the fight, vowing that he will make it happen despite previously believing that there was a lack of interest in the scrap.
“We are working on Ryan Garcia vs. Benn. I just got the memo today, that is the fight that everybody wants to see, so I am going to make it happen for you guys.”
As a result, it seems as though that September date could be back on the cards, with De La Hoya presumably now involved in Zuffa boxing’s plans to stage the event.
