Out of the ‘Four Horsemen,’ only one, Gervonta Davis, appears to have his hands full. On August 16, the same date when the Haney-Lopez clash was scheduled, he will meet Lamont Roach Jr. for a rematch. With their fight now out of the window, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez find themselves in limbo. So that leaves one last horseman: Ryan Garcia.

The talk of a rematch with Devin Haney has been going around for some time. However, the loss to Rolando Romero likely put a damper on the much-anticipated reunion. Haney and Garcia fought a thriller last year. However, the latter’s failure to clear drug tests was followed by a long rigmarole that culminated in both sides filing lawsuits against each other. A second fight became imperative. With the new year kicking in, it looked like the two would finally meet again. However, the outcome at the May 2 event fizzled out, whatever hopes there were of Haney vs. Garcia 2. Given the fight with Teofimo Lopez has all but collapsed, Garcia appears a viable option for Haney. But no, says Dan Rafael, who believes the fight may not happen, at least any time soon.

Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney 2: Off the table for now

No sooner had the veteran journalist explained the entire sequence of the Haney-Lopez drama than Boxing News reporter Andi Purewal asked the obvious. “Ryan Garcia, obviously we know that he suffered that upset defeat to Rolly Romero on that Times Square card, but was there any chance that maybe he was backing the running for a Haney fight, or is there a reluctance until Ryan gets a good solid win under his belt to try and revisit Garcia-Haney 2?”

So Rafael recalled his interactions with Turki Alalshikh. The Riyadh Season head has been weighing in on the Haney-Garcia 2. Later, news emerged that Ryan Garcia would have to undergo surgery on his right hand and that he would need 4-6 weeks of recovery time. “So he’s out for a while,” Dan Rafael stressed.

Even after that, depending on how well he heals, when Garcia will be able to resume his training still remains uncertain. Then, coupled with the fact that he lost his comeback fight, those currently advising him feel that it’s not the right time for Garcia to invest in a rematch with Haney.

“The main thing right now is to, you know, not worry about a rematch with, uh, with Ryan Garcia and against Deon Haney but worry more about Ryan, the health of his hand, and where he is in terms of mentally and just getting himself in the right condition to fight,” Dan Rafael said.

Last but not least, Ryan Garcia’s promoter also doesn’t sound too keen about the Haney rematch.

Despite pressure from all fronts, hope hasn’t completely vanished

During a recent interview, speaking about the Garcia and Haney rematch, Oscar De La Hoya sounded pretty much clear. “No, that’s not the direction we want to go,” he told a reporter explicitly. But his reasons were altogether different. “It just doesn’t; it just doesn’t merit a rematch. I just don’t think it really… Devin, but actually lost, you know, winning; his stock is super down. I mean, everybody’s talking. I’m just stating facts here. People are talking about, you know, him just being a runner, like, not a boxer.”

So with both Garcia’s promoter and his close advisor following a common track, it’s not hard to see why the Haney rematch may not happen, at least any time soon, Rafael stressed. With slim chances of recovery by August, Garcia won’t be rushed to yet another big fight for sure.

However, the veteran journalist hasn’t lost all hope. The fight between two of the ‘Four Horsemen’ will happen for sure. “It’s too big of a deal; there’s been too much controversy for it not to happen eventually, and these are not guys who are old fighters still in their 20s… I believe it will happen, but I don’t think it’s happening anytime soon,” Rafael concluded.

What about you? Do you want to see the Garcia-Haney rematch?