Ryan Garcia was far from satisfied with fighting just once in Las Vegas. Whether it was because his bout—a quick second-round stoppage of Conor Benn—felt effortless or because he was eager to compensate for lost time after a recent drug suspension, Garcia promptly organized another infight. This time, no gloves or ring were needed; a bare-knuckle tussle with a friend served to help him shed any lingering fatigue from the previous day’s victory. “We just started brawling in the room,” Garcia disclosed on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” “He wanted that work, so I gave him it, bare-knuckle. Easy work.” Apart from a sore hand, Garcia escaped the weekend incident uninjured, allowing him to entertain plans for a possible December fight. He explained that waiting for May made no sense since he remained unscathed and wanted to give fans more frequent action.
Seeing Ryan Garcia, the reigning WBC welterweight champion, aiming to fight three times in 2026—February, September, and potentially December—is indeed a rarity in contemporary boxing. This level of activity far surpasses many of the sport’s biggest names like Naoya Inoue, Oleksandr Usyk, David Benavidez, and Shakur Stevenson, who have mostly fought just once this year. Only a few, such as Jai Opetaia and Dmitry Bivol, seem set to appear more than once in 2026.
Hall-of-Fame matchmaker Brad Goodman highlights a troubling decline in the frequency and quality of fights, attributing it to factors like diminished TV interest, the rise of streaming platforms, and fighters’ growing preference for protecting undefeated records and maximizing earnings by avoiding risky bouts. Robert Diaz, former Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker, points out the contrast with previous eras when fighters like Julio César Chávez stayed sharp and active through numerous smaller fights, sometimes for modest pay. He argues that today’s fighters might be spoiled and less motivated by legacy, raising concerns about whether current champions will be remembered as legends.
Thirty years ago, Ryan Rhodes’s rapid pace—capturing and defending the British light-middleweight title three times within 90 days—exemplified the kind of activity that built fighters’ skills and fan bases. Dave Coldwell, who has worked closely as a coach and manager, agrees and laments that nowadays, even promising fighters are lucky to get four or five fights annually due to limited opportunities and scheduling conflicts. Moses Itauma’s recent challenges exemplify how reduced fighting frequency stunts development; despite turning pro with ambition, he only fought twice in the year leading to his first world title shot, a stark contrast to Mike Tyson’s 15 fights in his debut year.
Coldwell notes that fighters are frequently rushed to the spotlight for quick paydays at the expense of their education and longevity. High purses for “easy fights” are unsustainable for promoters and limit fighters’ activity. Keyshawn Davis’s recent decision to reject a multi-million dollar title shot illustrates how financial expectations can further stall careers.
Christian Cherchi, a manager from Italy, echoes these concerns, emphasizing that fewer journeymen stick around to provide competitive fights, making it harder for prospects to gain experience. The influx of Saudi money has distorted the market, often inflating purses beyond sustainable levels and creating an illusion of health in the sport. While this funding has attracted top fighters, many industry insiders warn it’s not a stable model.
Brad Goodman stresses that without these financial excesses, fights could be arranged at more reasonable sums, but fighters have become “spoiled” by the high pay and prefer to sit on their earnings, contributing to inactivity. This inactivity, combined with fewer big-name fights and fights being locked behind paywalls, damages boxing’s visibility and growth. Coldwell adds that fans are less engaged when big stars fight only once a year, leading to a decline in general public interest.
Recently, fighters like Hamzah Sheeraz have vacated titles rather than accept purse bids they deem insufficient, further illustrating the difficulties in balancing financial expectations and sport sustainability. The overpaying tendencies of different promoters over the years—whether Saudi financiers, PBC, or Matchroom—have collectively inflated the market unsustainably.
Despite new entrants like Dana White and TKO/Zuffa Boxing injecting money and shaking up the sport, many feel the core values and pathways of boxing are being lost. Social media and self-promotion have shifted some fighters’ focus toward fame rather than competition or legacy. As a result, fans may become less interested in a sport where fights and fighters are scarce and activity is limited.
Ultimately, the decline in frequent, competitive bouts risks alienating audiences and starving fighters of the experience needed to reach their potential. Without fans and consistent activity, fighters—even those with talent—may come to question the very purpose of their sacrifices and careers.
Fan Take: This story matters because it highlights a worrying trend of inactivity and financial distortion that threatens boxing’s very foundation. For fighting fans, it suggests that unless the sport can find a balance between meaningful activity and sustainable pay, both the fighters’ development and fan engagement may continue to decline, risking boxing’s future vitality.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
