Maybe the obvious pick is not so obvious. While there’s plenty of reasons for Ryan Garcia to select two-division champion Teofimo Lopez as his next opponent, there’s also powerful evidence to support unanimously ranked welterweight and Golden Boy Promotions stablemate Raul Curiel.
“My team and I are pushing for that fight,” Curiel, 30, told BoxingScene Tuesday. “I want my opportunity to be a world champion in the WBC, and I think I have a big chance to fight and beat [Garcia].
“I’ve known him from a long time ago when I’d spar him and I’m in a good position right now, with people like Julio Cesar Chavez Snr and [trainer] Robert Garcia making the case to see what [Mexico-based WBC President] Mauricio Sulaiman has to say. I will fight anybody, but I will jump at the chance to fight Ryan.”
Garcia, 25-2 (20 KOs), coming off his WBC title-taking victory over Mario Barrios February 21, has watched his most favored choice for a next fight, Devin Haney, move increasingly closer to making his first WBO welterweight title defense May 30 versus WBA champion Rolly Romero.
And while former lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis has faced off with Garcia, and Lopez has announced his move up to 147lbs following his loss to Shakur Stevenson on January 31, is a title fight the right time for a welterweight debut?
Plus, from the point of view of Garcia’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya, manager Guadalupe Valencia and streaming partner DAZN, wouldn’t you want the charismatic champion to retain his belt for as long as possible? Curiel, when compared to the threats presented by Lopez and Davis, might indeed prove attractive in the meantime.
Mexico’s Curiel, 17-0-1 (14 KOs), additionally promises to bring entertainment value and his countrymen’s patented guile to the fight.
On January 16, when ranked opponent Alexis Rocha had trouble making weight and dropped out of that night’s planned DAZN main-event rematch versus Curiel in Palm Springs, California, Curiel promptly agreed to meet a middleweight replacement opponent in Jordan Panthen, defeating him by unanimous decision.
“Because I still have the hunger to achieve my greatest dream as a kid – to be a champion,” Curiel said. “I’m capable right now, and my last fight – going up two divisions – proves that hunger.”
Garcia-Curiel would likely be a banger, matching a power-punching dynamo in Garcia who decked Haney three times with left hooks in their famed 2024 no-contest, and then dropped Barrios in the first round on a right to the head, versus Curiel, who’s ranked anywhere from second [WBA] and third [WBC] to 12th [WBO] by the sanctioning bodies.
“We’ll put on a show. His style goes with mine. I’m very focused. He’s a champion. I’m ready for my opportunity,” Curiel said.
“It’s been a journey, and a dream come true to be a contender. I have the capabilities to be a champion. The people just need to see me.
“I have the Mexican style, but I try to be intelligent inside the ring. I know Ryan is the champion, but I’ve sparred him before and I know I have the key to beat him – even to knock him out. It can be a great fight.”
Garcia could also consider Golden Boy promoted Arnold Barboza Jnr, who won Saturday’s DAZN main event in his welterweight debut in Anaheim, California, but Barboza is managed by De La Hoya’s No. 1 enemy, Rick Mirigian.
In Curiel’s corner is former De La Hoya opponent and Mexican legend Chavez Snr.
“We try to push it every way. If I have [Chavez’s] full support, maybe they’ll decide to let a full Mexican fight for the belt,” Curiel said. “My manager Frank Espinoza is pushing. I would love to be the WBC welterweight champion, because I believe I can beat the other champions, and Ryan, for sure.”
