Since his surprising loss to Rolando Romero in May, Ryan Garcia has largely stayed out of the spotlight. In case you need a refresher, we’ll recap. Heading into the bout, the Victorville native was the clear favorite to defeat Rolly Romero, who had already suffered multiple losses. But on fight night in Times Square, Romero defied expectations and secured a unanimous decision victory, stunning fans and pundits alike. Now, months later, it seems Joe Rogan has a theory on why Garcia lost.

Rogan and Garcia share a bit of history. After Garcia tested positive for Ostarine last year, Rogan defended him publicly. Still, the 26-year-old wasn’t entirely happy with the UFC commentator. Around that time, Garcia complained on X about not being invited to Rogan’s podcast, claiming Rogan was scared to have him on. He even commented on a video of Rogan practicing kicks, writing, “I would KO you so quick. But nice kicks fam. I’ll have mercy if you let me on the show.” Nearly a year has passed since then, and the 57-year-old UFC commentator has another verdict for the 26-year-old. 

A couple of weeks ago, Joe Rogan invited legendary boxing commentator Jim Lampley to his podcast, where they discussed His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s involvement in boxing. Rogan noted speculation that the substantial payments from the Saudi royal are causing boxers to fight cautiously to avoid losing, which may be why the fights appear to be boring. However, Lampley believed it more to be a matchmaking issue—‘counter-punchers fighting counter-punchers’ rather than a fight between styles. That’s when Lampley brought up the Garcia fight, praising Romero for the strategy he brought to the fight, adding, “He did a good job of that.” According to Lampley, Rolly Romero, who isn’t known for his defense, prepared well defensively against a fighter known for his terrifying left hooks.

Rogan quickly jumped in and said, “He(Romero) also landed that left hook of his own. Rocked him and dropped him. And I think that changed the entire [fight].” For context, Romero dropped Garcia in the second round with a left hook of his own, changing the trajectory of the fight. Lampley agreed with Rogan, stating, “Yes, mentally changed the fight. Garcia’s in there trying to land his left hook, and all of a sudden, he gets dropped by one. That’s got to affect your mentality.”

While Rogan believes the inability to recover from the knockdown might have played a part in Ryan Garcia’s loss, someone else is planning to step in to help the Victorville native make it out of his current predicament.

Amir Khan wants to help Ryan Garcia 

After the Rolly Romero loss and a string of troubling off-ring incidents, Amir Khan is offering help to Ryan Garcia. He thinks the 26-year-old is heading down a dangerous path and wants to intervene as a friend. “Ryan needs someone to sit down and talk to him as a friend and as someone that cares for him,” Khan told The Ring.

“A lot of people are going to be around Ryan, but they’re not going to care for him… they’re all going to be there for their own little two-pence fame,” he added. Khan believes Garcia, who underwent hand surgery, faced a failed drug test and arrest, must have a complete reset. “He needs to go back to that level, back to basics, back to the hard work, dedication, and focus,” Khan said.

Ryan Garcia’s one loss has forced different responses from people. While some take swipes at him, others extend a helping hand. But what about Garcia? What’s he up to? What’s his next step? No one quite knows. What do you think he should do next?