Ryan Garcia is already evaluating future opportunities following his anticipated clash with Devin Haney on April 20 at Madison Square Garden in New York. 

Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) has marred his preparations to face Haney (31-01, 15KOs) with a diet of worrying behavior and conduct bordering on delusional ahead of the all-California affair with rival Haney and challenging for the WBC world super lightweight title, which Haney currently holds. 

“King Ry,” however, confirmed in a recent FightHub TV interview that he would welcome an opportunity to face Isaac Cruz.

Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) produced an excellent display against Rolando Romero (15-2, 13 KOs), claiming an eighth-round stoppage to relieve “Rolly” of his WBA world title in what was Romero’s first world title defense after he claimed the title in May of last year against Ismael Barroso. 

After his victory, Cruz named Garcia a potential opponent. Cruz-Romero served as the co-main event to the bloody encounter between Tim Tszyu and Sebastian Fundora on March 30 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Promoter Oscar De La Hoya proposed Cruz as an opponent earlier this year as negotiations with Haney and Romero became protracted. Eventually, Garcia signed to face Haney once Premier Boxing Champions confirmed Cruz as Romero’s opponent.

Responding to Cruz’s desire to face him, Garcia believes the style of the newly crowned WBA champion will play into his hands and that he is comfortable with the aggressive nature of how Cruz fights while comparing the Mexican to his last opponent, Oscar Duarte. 

“It’s my favorite style of all time. I can’t count how many times I sparred somebody like that [Cruz], fought somebody like that, and been in the gym with somebody like that,” Garcia told FightHub TV. He’s even smaller than [Oscar] Duarte. Duarte fought similar to him, but maybe bigger and slower and not as aggressive. Still, it’s a very similar style. They can deny it all they want, but Duarte and Cruz have a very similar style.”

Garcia is confident that he could land himself an emphatic victory against Cruz inside five rounds.

“I would just be fighting a smaller version and perhaps a little bit better than Duarte,” added Garcia. “But I can handle that because I knocked out Duarte. I feel like I can knock out ‘Pitbull’ within five rounds. It will be easy to hit him with a jab because he’s coming forward at me anyway. He’s going to have to eat something.”