Young gun Ryan Garcia wants crack at Manny Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – Another up-and-coming boxing star in Ryan Garcia wants a piece of Manny Pacquiao.

Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) spoke to US journalist Rich Eisen about his dream to fight the Filipino boxing legend.

What's next for WBC interim lightweight champ @KingRyanG? And why does he want a piece of @MannyPacquiao?

The 22-year old didn't mince words:#boxing pic.twitter.com/8j9nZB7WVw

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) January 14, 2021

The 22-year-old brought up Pacquiao's 2008 fight with Oscar De La Hoya, who is coincidentally Garcia's promoter. He said this was a "passing-of-the-torch" moment from one legend to the next.

Now, with Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KO) at 42 years old, Garcia hopes to be the sport’s next big star.

"It's my turn," the WBC interim lightweight champion told Eisen.

"Maybe after Gervonta (Davis), hopefully.... Can we share that ring together and please pass that torch to me?," he said.

The American boxer is coming off a seventh-round technical knockout of Luke Campbell on January 2 to boost his stock.

Garcia, however, made it clear that he wasn't calling out Pacquiao. The young boxer just wants a chance to share the ring with the legend while he still can.

"Manny, I feel like, is the inspiration that makes you a legend... I mean, he came from dirt and [rose] all the way to a Senator in the Philippines? Legend, that's what you call a legend," he said.

Pacquiao has yet to return to the ring since his conquest of Keith Thurman in 2019 for the WBA “super” welterweight title.