In a federal lawsuit filed in Nevada, Golden Boy Promotions is seeking to protect its promotional rights to the career of Ryan Garcia. The defendants are Garcia himself plus his attorney Lupe Valencia. Despite the lawsuit, it looks like Garcia will still be working with Golden Boy, because earlier this week, the lightweight / junior welterweight contender tweeted, "Fighting at the end of this year... Ooooowweeeeeeee! One more for 2023!  Let’s see who!"

 

In the lawsuit, Golden Boy alleges that it has a valid, ongoing and enforceable promotional agreement with Garcia that gives it the exclusive right to promote Garcia’s boxing matches, including to find opponents, negotiate deals, and arrange his bouts. The Agreement forbids Garcia and his agents, including Valencia, from negotiating and contracting for any fights other than those promoted by Golden Boy. The Agreement also provides that Garcia shall not withhold his approval for certain opponents and bouts proposed by Golden Boy. According to the amended complaint Golden Boy filed earlier this month, Golden Boy has fulfilled all of its contractual obligations and helped to build Garcia into one of the most recognizable and sought-after boxers in the world. “In short,” the lawsuit says, “Garcia’s career has flourished under Golden Boy’s direction.”

 

The lawsuit goes on to allege that Garcia’s advisors have convinced him he does not need Golden Boy anymore. "Valencia, has for the last year or more, has directly interfered with Golden Boy’s ability to communicate with Garcia and to negotiate the best deals and fights for Garcia. In fact, Valencia, in direct violation of the Agreement, has engaged in negotiations with other promoters and boxers for Garcia’s fights. Valencia has done so despite explicitly knowing of the Agreement and its terms and has orchestrated an effort to drive a wedge between Garcia and Golden Boy by inducing his breach of the Agreement."

 

Since the lawsuit was filed in June, Golden Boy says, “Garcia now takes the position that he does not dispute the Agreement’s present validity and enforceability and that, pursuant to that Agreement, Golden Boy should have first mediated their dispute before coming to the Court [… But] Garcia continues this bad faith conduct to this day as Golden Boy is attempting to arrange a bout for November 2023. Golden Boy was thus forced to commence this lawsuit to enforce and protect its rights under the Agreement… Now that Garcia appears to take the position that the agreement may be enforceable for some period of time, GBP has initiated a mediation with Garcia. Golden Boy is awaiting Garcia’s response regarding that mediation.”