“One man’s loss is another man’s gain,” so goes the maxim. But that doesn’t seem to be the case for Ryan Garcia. With Gervonta Davis’ legal troubles putting the much-anticipated exhibition match against Jake Paul in jeopardy, reports of a search for a new dance partner have emerged. It didn’t take long before Garcia’s name topped the list of prospective contenders. Though he has been in a back-and-forth with the Paul brothers and has even seemingly called out Jake, it’s not yet clear if the Californian has taken a shine to this unexpected opportunity.

However, even if he entertains it, Ryan Garcia may have to temper his enthusiasm. His promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, would want nothing to do with a matchup against Jake Paul. The former world champion-turned-promoter worked with Paul’s MVP in June. Still, reported broadcast tie-ups make a direct matchup a visible challenge. De La Hoya’s update comes amid fresh reports of Garcia making a comeback against welterweight champion Mario Barrios as well.

Oscar De La Hoya draws the line on the Ryan Garcia vs. Jake Paul fight

“So, I wake up to calls from reporters asking me about Jake Paul and Ryan Garcia,” began Oscar De La Hoya in a direct address. Fight Hub TV shared the footage on social media. Explaining why the Garcia-Paul matchup cannot take place, the Golden Boy honcho stated, “Ryan Garcia fights for DAZN, and Jake Paul fights on Netflix… that’s pretty much the bottom line.”

Anticipating a bluster from Ryan Garcia, De La Hoya explained how business works. “Golden Boy has a contract with DAZN. Ryan Garcia has a contract with Golden Boy. And that’s just the way it is. I mean, this is business. You know, Ryan Garcia’s probably going to rant, saying, “Oh, you’re keeping me from making money and this and that and fighting.” “No, you have to—you have to go by the law, by the rules,” he insisted.

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As far as Oscar De La Hoya is concerned, the line of demarcation is clear: a DAZN-Netflix crossover cannot happen. Perhaps anticipating how the announcement might dampen fans’ moods, he hinted at sharing an update on Ryan Garcia’s next fight very soon.

Digging a bit deeper, it appears talks of a matchup between Garcia and Mario Barrios are currently underway.

Garcia’s and Paul’s new matchup opportunities

Boxing insider Mike Coppinger wrote, “Ryan Garcia and Mario Barrios are closing in on a deal for a WBC welterweight title fight in the first quarter of 2026, sources told @ringmagazine. Officials from Garcia’s promoter, Golden Boy, and PBC have been exchanging contracts, per sources.”

Meanwhile, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) released an official statement. They are collecting facts and carefully examining the situation so that any decision they make is well-informed and responsible. “We will make a determination on next steps once we have completed our review and consulted with the appropriate parties,” part of it read.

If Jake Paul and his team fail to secure Ryan Garcia, Anthony Joshua could be another alternative. Fans may recall that Paul had already called out the former heavyweight champion earlier this year. However, the latest grapevine suggests Joshua is in talks for a potential matchup against Jarrell Miller in a Ghana face-off!

So, fans may have to wait and watch. As the situation develops, they should finally get a definitive answer to the quandary Jake Paul faces yet again.

If given a choice, who would you pick for Jake Paul?