WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia made bold claims about boxing legend Manny Pacquiao while appearing on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, declaring that he would beat and likely knock out a prime version of the eight-division world champion.
In the episode, released around September 9, 2026, Garcia discussed his dream matchup with Pacquiao and stated: “I would beat him in his prime. I have all the attributes to beat him and if I’m at the top of my game, I’d probably knockout Pacquiao.” The comment quickly circulated on social media, with Club Shay Shay highlighting the quote in promotional clips.
Garcia, known as “King Ry,” has long expressed interest in facing Pacquiao. The two have been linked for years, including talks of a potential professional fight that fell through around 2021 and later exhibition discussions, notably after Pacquiao’s 2024 exhibition in Japan, when Garcia publicly challenged him.
In past interviews, Garcia has said Pacquiao’s aggressive, lunging style would play into his counterpunching ability and left-hook power. He previously predicted that he could dominate even a later-career version of Pacquiao “like Juan Manuel Márquez did.”
The Club Shay Shay comments take that confidence to another level, with Garcia now backing himself against Pacquiao at his absolute peak—the version that conquered multiple weight classes, produced iconic wars with the likes of Márquez, Miguel Cotto, and Ricky Hatton, and established himself as one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of his era.
Garcia, currently 25-2 with 20 KOs according to recent records, is the reigning WBC welterweight titleholder after a dominant decision win over Mario Barrios earlier in 2026. He is preparing for a title defense against Conor Benn. During the podcast, Garcia covered a wide range of topics, including his past issues with Devin Haney and Gervonta “Tank” Davis, criticism of Terence Crawford, his boxing Mount Rushmore – Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Floyd Mayweather along with his training mindset and future ambitions.
Still, the Pacquiao remarks stood out as some of the most provocative comments from the appearance.
Pacquiao, now in his late 40s and largely retired from full competition after a legendary career that included a brief return and exhibition activity, remains an all-time great with a professional record of 62-8-3 (39 KOs). Fans and analysts have long debated hypothetical matchups between modern stars and fighters from previous generations, and Garcia’s claim fits the familiar pattern of a confident young champion measuring himself against a legendary figure.
Whether the statement was pure promotional click bait, or a genuine belief that his style would give Pacquiao problems, it has generated plenty of conversation in boxing circles. Garcia continues to position himself as one of the sport’s most marketable and outspoken figures as he looks toward bigger challenges beyond his upcoming fight with Benn.
