Hideyuki Ohashi wants everyone to know who handles the business. At Wednesday’s press conference in Tokyo, Naoya Inoue’s promoter made a point of lecturing Robert Garcia on proper boxing etiquette, even though Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez’s team just conceded to Inoue’s preferred schedule.
Rodriguez gave up an interim bout to make the dates work, yet Garcia gets scolded simply for requesting the actual paperwork.
“That’s not how it works. He’s mistaken,” Ohashi declared. While he shared positive updates regarding a March 2027 clash, he stopped short of announcing a finalized deal.
The friction traces back to Rodriguez’s preparation. Garcia initially wanted another bantamweight outing before jumping up to challenge Inoue. Inoue’s camp shut that idea down completely, telling Rodriguez to take March or watch the opportunity vanish.
Giving in was a major concession. That extra fight was central to Garcia’s readiness plan, but dropping it kept the Inoue clash alive. Garcia and promoter Eddie Hearn told BoxingScene they were ready to accept those terms, which prompted Garcia’s blunt demand: “Send the fucking contract.” The wording was colorful, but the expectation was clear.
Responding to Garcia’s contract demand, Ohashi dismissed the trainer-manager’s involvement, BoxingScene reported.
“He clearly doesn’t know how this goes,” Ohashi said, noting that talks belong at the promoter level rather than with the trainer.
Except Garcia manages Rodriguez too. Calling him just the trainer ignores the managerial role that gives him every right to review the contract. Ohashi might prefer dealing exclusively with Hearn, but Garcia has every reason to verify the financial terms after revamping his fighter’s calendar.
Inoue had cranked up the heat by declaring he was tired of waiting and ready to jump to featherweight. That left Rodriguez with a stark choice: protect the prep timeline and forfeit the bout, or agree to March and keep talking.
Rodriguez’s team gave Inoue the timeline he wanted. Now, the rest of the business must follow.
“Negotiations for Inoue’s next fight are moving forward, step by step. Everything is going well,” Ohashi noted, asking fans to look forward to March.
Inoue’s U.S. manager, John Lewis, also confirmed to Mike Coppinger that discussions with Matchroom are active. Still, neither side has confirmed signed financial terms. Agreeing on a date is only half the battle, and Rodriguez’s side must see what is actually written on the dotted line.
Ohashi’s optimism is great to hear, but brushing off Garcia falls flat. Rodriguez already gave up the tune-up fight; asking to see the contract is simply common sense.
