Ryan Garcia has suffered a wrist injury while preparing for his December 30th exhibition fight against Rukiya Anpo, resulting in the match needing to be postponed. The FANMIO and RIZIN promoted event will be given a new date in the first half of 2025.
Dr. Steven Shin of Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles has confirmed Garcia’s wrist injury. He’ll need several weeks without sparring before he can return to action and resume preparing for his eight-round exhibition against Anpo.
Official Statement from Garcia
Ryan is using his match against the lanky 6’0″ Anpo to stay sharp and continue to make money while he’s on a one-year suspension handed down by the New York State Athletic Commission due to him taking positive for a banned substance earlier this year.
The suspension has come at the worst possible time for Garcia, 26. It prevents him from taking advantage of his career-best 12-round majority decision win over Devin Haney on April 20th in Brooklyn, New York.
“I’ve been eagerly preparing for my upcoming exhibition fight in Japan, training hard in Dallas over the past several weeks,” said Ryan Garcia. “Unfortunately, I sustained a hand injury during training and returned to Los Angeles to be seen by the doctor, who has advised me to postpone my December 30 exhibition.”
Garcia wants this fight with Anpo to give him more experience, keep him sharp, and get a payday during his year out of the ring. It’s a matchup involving some risk because Anpo can punch, and he will be looking to take advantage of Kingry’s weaknesses in his loss to Gervonta Davis.
Anpo hasn’t been in a boxing match with a fighter of Ryan’s talent yet. His three-round exhibition against 45-year-old Manny Pacquiao last summer involved an older fighter in a short match. It will be more difficult for him to handle Ryan’s power and speed.