Ryan Garcia will make a return to the ring all-action style overseas for an end-of-year attraction as RIZIN and FANMIO present a exhibition showdown against Japanese kickboxing sensation Rukiya Anpo on Monday, December 30 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT (U.S. date and time) live from Tokyo, Japan(FANMIO PPV).
The fight will be contested at 153 pounds, with full boxing rules implemented across eight two-minute rounds.
This matchup will see Garcia go up against the biggest and strongest opponent of his career in the highly-acclaimed kickboxing champion Anpo, who announced his presence on the big stage with a sensational performance against boxing legend Manny Pacquiao in a July exhibition. Now entering the squared circle once again, Anpo can cement his place in Japanese combat sports history against the internationally-recognized social media superstar Garcia, who’s always backed up the talk that made him world famous with skill and passion in the ring.
“I’m looking forward to knocking Anpo out for trying to knock out the legend Manny Pacquiao,” said Ryan Garcia. “Manny is past his prime, and for him to try to knock him out rubbed me the wrong way. I will knock him out and teach him a lesson of respect.”
Anpo thinks his speed and power are better than Garcia’s.
“I surpass Ryan in size, speed, power, everything,” said Rukiya Anpo. “If he goes into this match feeling like a party, it’s definitely going to be a beatdown. I’m going to beat the shit out of an arrogant, cocky Ryan and show America who the real bad boy is.”
Garcia was last in the ring on April 20 when he defeated Devin Haney by unanimous decision. However, Garcia tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine, and the fight was turned into a no-contest; he was fined and suspended for a year.
He was undefeated in his first 23 professional fights following a stellar amateur career. As he rose through the rankings, Garcia’s star exploded across social media and translated to packed venues as he became one of boxing’s true crossover stars. His lone defeat came in a 2023 mega-event against three-division champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, as their years-long rivalry culminated in the ring with an event that sold over a million pay-per-views.
A native of Himeji, Japan who was trained in karate from an early age alongside his younger brother Riku Anpo, Rukiya Anpo has risen to superstardom in Japan with his kickboxing prowess and earned himself the “Demolition Man” moniker as he’s taken out opponent after opponent. In 2019, he became a kickboxing world champion by defeating Kaew Fairtex in back-to-back fights to capture the super lightweight title. His accolades throughout his kickboxing career also include earning second place in the 2021 Welterweight Grand Prix, in addition to 2018 and 2020 Fight of the Year and 2017 KO of the Year awards. He debuted with RIZIN in 2023, fighting Buakaw Banchamek to a draw before defeating Sho Patrick Usami.
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