Just the other day, while speaking on The 3 Knockdown Rule, Eric Gomez, President of Golden Boy Promotions, gave an update on Ryan Garcia: “He just had surgery on his hand. We just got the clearance. I want to say about two weeks ago, we got a clearance that he’s been cleared from his hand. So he’s starting to move around. Um, you know, look, he’ll fight in the first quarter as well.” And it appears the 27-year-old, who has been in the news more for his activities outside the ring than inside it, has already started fluttering his wings.

After the tough loss to Rolando Romero, Ryan Garcia underwent hand surgery. So, amid speculation about his next outing, he seems to have decided to raise the bar. Only, the benchmark he has set has left social media stunned. Netizens went gaga after seeing the Californian galloping toward a snappy face-off with MMA icon Jon ‘Bones’ Jones. The experience left the boxer feeling a bit edgy, it seems. The former UFC heavyweight champion’s name has been circulating in connection with next year’s White House card. However, he has been busy promoting the Dirty Boxing series. With its fourth outing slated for October 30, the face-off with Garcia provided fans with a much-needed appetizer.

Ryan Garcia steps up to Jon Jones

With a funky deep-red gas guzzler sporting scissor doors in the background, Ryan Garcia walked forward as Jon Jones rushed. “Jon, get over here,” he said. The MMA GOAT extended his hand. But Garcia would have none of that. “Nah, nah, I don’t need that handshake; I don’t need that handshake,” he stated. Smiling, Jones fired back, “You know only boxing.”

As Garcia grabbed both his hands, Jones warned, “Get off me, get off me,” before moving away, saying, “You light, boy.” A slightly hesitant Garcia replied, “That’s cool.” Had it not been for the smiles, one might have thought the two were about to square off for real.

Needless to say, the show got tongues wagging. Commenting on the footage, Ryan Garcia admitted to feeling a bit jittery. “Get off me” caught me off guard, can’t lie,” he said, before posting another message. “It’s big smoke now, @jonnybones. I will see you real soon to continue this conversation… DIRTY BOXING OCTOBER 30TH.”

It seems Garcia will make his appearance at Dirty Boxing 4.

Ryan Garcia’s touch-and-go with MMA

Scheduled for October 30 in Nashville, the event will be headlined by Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson and MMA bare-knuckle fighter Billy Swanson. Fans might recall a strange callout from last April. In the lead-up to the Devin Haney-Ryan Garcia fight on April 20, Garcia teased a face-off with guess who? Jon Jones!

“Ok, hypothetically, hear me out. Jon Jones vs. Ryan Garcia  We are both c*ked out.  WHO WINS???” he wrote.

Garcia is back to displaying his dazzling speed on the mitts. Earlier, while under suspension following a doping controversy, he even shared a video of himself trying out grappling. However, it would be far-fetched to think he could actually face someone like Jon Jones.

For now, fans should wait and see how his appearance at Dirty Boxing’s Nashville edition unfolds. As Eric Gomez shared, the coming week should reveal what’s in store for the fighter in the months ahead. Likewise, as Jones dons the promoter’s hat, an update on his potential White House appearance is something fans eagerly await.

Do you think Ryan Garcia has the skills to fight in a cage?