Ryan Garcia’s exhibition bout against a Japanese kickboxer set for Dec. 30 will be postponed because Garcia has suffered a wrist injury during training camp, according to a news release issued Sunday by the boxer’s publicist.
Garcia was evaluated Thursday by Dr. Steven Shin of Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles for an aggravated bilateral wrist injury, according to a news release.
“I recommend that he hold off on sparring and boxing matches for several weeks,’’ Shin said, according to the news release. “Treatment options will be discussed with Mr. Garcia after further evaluation.”
The exhibition bout to be held in Tokyo will be rescheduled for a date in “early 2025,’’ according to the news release.
Garcia, 26, is serving a one-year suspension for testing positive for ostarine, a banned substance, in two separate tests before his April 20 bout against Devin Haney. But Garcia, who beat Haney by majority decision, is allowed to participate in exhibitions during his suspension.
He has agreed to an exhibition bout against Japanese kickboxer Rukiya Anpo.
“I’ve been eagerly preparing for my upcoming exhibition fight in Japan, training hard in Dallas over the past several weeks,” Garcia said. “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.”
Anpo said he’s disappointed, “but knocking out an injured opponent won’t mean anything, so I wish him a speedy recovery and hope I can face the 100% version of Ryan Garcia.’’