Ryan Garcia explains why he turned down Jake Paul’s $25 million fight offer

Ryan Garcia has revealed why he chose to walk away from a lucrative offer to fight Jake Paul, despite the matchup’s massive financial appeal. The boxer said his long-term goal of winning a world title ultimately outweighed the promise of a reported $20–$25 million payday.

Garcia faced a critical crossroads following consecutive setbacks, including a loss to Rolando Romero and time away from the ring due to hand surgery. During that period, an unexpected opportunity emerged for him to challenge WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, presenting Garcia with a chance to compete for his first world title.

Around the same time, Jake Paul approached Garcia with a high-value offer for a potential fight. Speaking on his Kick livestream alongside influencers Sara Saffari and Bradley Martyn, Garcia confirmed the offer but said he declined it. He explained that while the Paul fight would have been “easy money,” it would have distracted him from his main ambition of becoming a world champion. “In my heart, I wanted to fight for the world title,” Garcia said.

Garcia has since committed to the title path. His promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, confirmed that Garcia will face Barrios on February 21 in Las Vegas for the WBC welterweight belt. Although the purse for the Barrios fight is expected to be significantly smaller than what Paul offered, Garcia said the championship opportunity mattered more.

The possibility of a Garcia-Paul bout had gained traction after Jake Paul’s planned exhibition against Gervonta Davis collapsed due to Davis’ legal issues. Paul reportedly explored several alternatives, including Ryan Garcia and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. However, Ngannou declined, and Garcia’s situation became complicated by business considerations.

De La Hoya later dismissed the idea of Garcia fighting Paul, citing broadcast and promotional conflicts. He explained to Fight Hub TV that Garcia is contracted to Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN, while Paul competes under Netflix, making a deal difficult from a business and legal standpoint.

Ultimately, Jake Paul went on to fight Anthony Joshua, a bout that ended in a knockout loss for Paul. Garcia, meanwhile, now has the chance to back up his decision in the ring. A victory over Barrios would secure him his first world title and potentially set up even bigger fights in the future.