Ryan Garcia Says Isaac Cruz 'Ducked' Him — Who's Next for the WBC Champ?

Garcia's Hot Streak Has a Problem: No One Wants Smoke

Ryan Garcia is rolling. After blitzing through Mario Barrios to grab the WBC welterweight world title and then finishing Conor Benn in two rounds, "King Ry" is in Fighter of the Year conversations while half the pound-for-pound list sits on the sidelines. The problem? Garcia wants to keep the momentum going with a fast turnaround, but his preferred next opponent apparently doesn't feel the same urgency.

Enter Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz

After Garcia demolished Benn, Isaac Cruz made his own statement, stopping Nestor Bravo and immediately calling Garcia out in his post-fight interview. On paper, it's a great matchup — two aggressive, fan-friendly fighters, one chasing a title shot and one looking to add a signature win to his 2026 resume. Cruz even formally requested the fight after beating Bravo.

But according to Garcia, talk is cheap. In a recent clip, he didn't hold back:

"Pitbull do not want it, my guy. I told you that I am going to give him one more chance and he has ducked three times. Once you've ducked three times, bro, there is nothing more to say. He ducked, that's it, bro ducked for sure."

That's a pretty specific accusation — three separate dodges — and it suggests there's been real back-and-forth behind the scenes that never made it to a contract.

Why the Cruz Fight Made Sense

Cruz was viewed as Garcia's top target for good reason. He's active, he's got name recognition, and a win over him would be another marquee notch for Garcia's 2026 campaign — a year that's already seen him take out a former world champion in Barrios and blow through Benn in dominant fashion. Losing that fight to negotiations falling apart is a real blow to Garcia's plans for a quick follow-up bout.

The Bigger Picture: A Division in Flux

Garcia's frustration comes at an interesting moment for the welterweight division. There's also uncertainty swirling around another title — with talk that a champion might either defend against a mandatory challenger or vacate the belt entirely rather than take the fight. It paints a picture of a 147lb landscape where big names are hesitant to step in with the sport's hottest attraction right now.

What Happens Next

With Cruz apparently off the table for now, Garcia's team will need to pivot fast if they want to keep his packed 2026 schedule intact. Expect Garcia to keep applying public pressure — call-outs have become part of his playbook — while his management works the phones for a replacement opponent willing to actually sign on the dotted line. For a fighter chasing Fighter of the Year, activity is everything, and right now Garcia's biggest opponent might be finding someone who'll say yes.