Ryan Gracia reveals reason behind refusing $25 Million fight offer

Ryan Garcia has officially revealed the reasoning behind his decision to decline a lucrative exhibition bout against Jake Paul, opting instead to pursue a world championship.

Despite a reported $20–$25 million payday, Garcia stated that his sporting legacy outweighed the immediate financial gain.

The 26-year-old boxer faced a career crossroads following a period of inactivity and recovery from hand surgery. During this hiatus, a high-value offer emerged from the Jake Paul camp. However, Garcia also received an opportunity to challenge WBC Welterweight Champion Mario Barrios—a move that would put him in contention for his first major world title.

Speaking on a recent Kick livestream, Garcia confirmed the offer but explained his refusal to sign. “In my heart, I wanted to fight for the world title,” Garcia said. He admitted that while a bout with Paul would have been “easy money,” he feared it would serve as a distraction from his ultimate goal of becoming a world champion.

Beyond Garcia’s personal ambitions, significant business hurdles made a deal with Paul difficult. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya cited conflicting broadcast obligations as a primary dealbreaker.

Garcia remains under contract with Golden Boy and DAZN, whereas Paul has recently established a partnership with Netflix. De La Hoya told Fight Hub TV that these contractual “silos” made a cross-platform deal nearly impossible from a legal and promotional standpoint.

Garcia has now fully committed to the championship path. His promotional team confirmed that Garcia will face Mario Barrios on February 21 in Las Vegas for the WBC Welterweight belt.

While the guaranteed purse for the Barrios fight is expected to be significantly lower than the $25 million offered by the Paul camp, a victory would secure Garcia his first major world title and substantially increase his leverage for future high-stakes matchups.