The negotiations for Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn hit a major roadblock this week as Golden Boy Promotions issued Zuffa Boxing and TKO with a cease-and-desist order, instructing the pair to halt its alleged tortious interference with WBC welterweight champion Garcia.
Zuffa Boxing — spearheaded by UFC CEO Dana White, WWE President Nick Khan and Saudi Arabian fight financier Turki Alalshikh — is thought to be finalizing a Sept. 12 fight in Las Vegas between Garcia and Benn, the latter of whom it recently signed to a multi-fight contract.
Golden Boy's exclusive promotional agreement with Garcia ended after his win over Mario Barrios in February, however Golden Boy retained a multi-fight co-promotional option over Garcia's boxing matches alongside Garcia's King Ryan Enterprises, sources close to the situation told Uncrowned.
That option means that Zuffa Boxing cannot make a deal with Garcia's company without the agreement of Golden Boy, who has a mutual say on all of his fights. Golden Boy claimed in the letter to Zuffa Boxing and TKO that it has not been involved in any of the negotiations for a potential bout between Garcia and Benn.
The promoter also claimed that its deal with Garcia ensures that sports streaming service DAZN is Garcia's broadcast platform. Zuffa’s negotiations called for a Garcia vs. Benn fight to take place on Netflix or with Zuffa's television partner, Paramount+.
DAZN has sent Zuffa Boxing and TKO a separate cease-and-desist letter enforcing its exclusive television rights, according to comments from promoter Eddie Hearn.
There have been suggestions that a Garcia vs. Benn bout would be announced Sunday during the historic UFC Freedom 250 card on the U.S. White House’s South Lawn.
Read the full article here