‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley doesn’t see a crossover clash between himself and Ryan Garcia ever happening.
On Saturday, March 8, O’Malley is scheduled to headline UFC 299 in Miami, Florida where he will put his bantamweight title on the line for the very first time against the only man to have ever bested him inside the Octagon, Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera.
While O’Malley has kept his eyes on the task at hand, he has found himself in a bit of a back-and-forth with boxing star Ryan Garcia after the former interim WBC lightweight champion suggested that he would “destroy” O’Malley inside the Octagon. It’s certainly nothing out of the ordinary for two combat sports stars to trash-talk one another, but in the days that followed, Garcia has been on a downward spiral that ‘Sugar’ believes is the result of drug abuse.
“Cocaine’s a hell of a drug. I think he’s on drugs and he’s acting a fool,” O’Malley told reporters during Wednesday’s UFC 299 media event. “Feel bad for him more than anything.”
"Cocaine's a hell of a drug" – Sean O'Malley on Ryan Garcia's recent outbursts pic.twitter.com/5g6DuBHv7E
— Oscar Willis (@oscarswillis) March 6, 2024
It all seemingly started when Garcia made a post on both X and Instagram referencing his own violent death. Two days later, he shared a video in an attempt to explain himself but only posed more questions in the process.
‘The Flash’ went completely off the rails during a conversation with another controversial combat sports star — Andrew Tate — telling the kickboxing world champion that he was tied up and forced to watch as children were sexually assaulted in front of him. Garcia also claimed to have evidence of aliens and that Bohemian Grove was real.
Sean O’Malley Shuts Down Possibility of a Crossover Fight with Ryan Garcia
Asked whether or not he believes a crossover fight between himself and Garcia will ever take place, Sean O’Malley was pretty adamant that it will never come to fruition.
“That will never happen, and if it does I’m here for it,” O’Malley added. “It wouldn’t be my fault that fight doesn’t happen, but yeah. Realistically that will never happen.”
Garcia is currently scheduled to take on reigning and defending WBC super lightweight world champion Devin Haney on April 20 inside the sold-out Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. In light of Garcia’s recent behavior, many, including KSI, have suggested that the bout be postponed, but Garcia appears to be in the process of rededicating himself to training for the contest.
“I Ryan Garcia, will not be speaking or tweeting or writing anything other then My Fight “Boxing” and Sports. All topics of discussion will be discussed after my fight. 5 weeks of focus. You have my word I’m locked in I’ll see you 4-20,” Garcia wrote on X.
Watch Sean O’Malley’s UFC 299 full media day appearance below:
