Ryan Garcia is a number of issues. He’s a star, nonetheless you wish to take that, and he’s a draw. These are the massive, essential issues, and people are what make him the actual advertising and marketing A-side of subsequent Saturday’s showdown with Devin Haney.
He’s widespread, if polarizing, and he’s loud, and he’s frankly a little bit of an odd duck, not very like different skilled boxers. He’s the actual pioneer of constructing social media related for a fighter’s personal promotion, which generally is a good factor as a result of boxing promoters are sometimes fairly dangerous at selling boxing.
However advertising and marketing A-side or not, on the finish of the day he has to get into the ring and beat Devin Haney. That’s going to show loads more durable than garnering consideration on Instagram and X.
Haney (31-0, 15 KO) is the actual deal. He’s not notably widespread on social media platforms and he’s struggled to promote tickets regardless of his success. He doesn’t blatantly lack charisma — he’s assured sufficient with a mic in entrance of him and he’s obtained a private aptitude to the best way he carries himself — however he simply hasn’t caught on with the broader viewers.
That may change in time if he simply retains successful. And Saturday’s battle with Garcia (24-1, 20 KO) is his greatest probability but to succeed in that viewers, to impress them, and to take — not steal — the highlight from the larger star.
Haney is a former undisputed light-weight champion, absolutely unifying the division by dominating George Kambosos Jr in 2022. And he’s been in powerful. In 2023, he made his last look at 135 lbs by edging a controversial win over Vasiliy Lomachenko, a battle that to be honest many felt he’d misplaced, then moved as much as 140 to utterly dominate Regis Prograis and take the WBC title.
Picture by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Photos
That belt will likely be on the road Saturday. That’s what Haney is bringing to the desk, and it’s the primary world title battle for the 25-year-old Garcia, although not his greatest battle. Ryan’s loss to Gervonta “Tank” Davis in 2023 was one of many greatest fights of the 12 months, and this one received’t attain that occasion in publicity or mainstream notoriety.
If Haney, additionally 25, has his belt and his “0” on the road, what does Garcia have at stake?
His credibility as a world-class skilled boxer.
Hardcore followers are fast to query Garcia’s precise credentials, and with honest purpose. His finest wins are Luke Campbell, Javier Fortuna, and Oscar Duarte. And whereas 25 is younger, the truth that he hasn’t been managed into even a paper world title in a system that so usually favors politics and recognition over legitimacy is a bit unusual.
Haney has received world titles in two divisions. Or take the case of Shakur Stevenson, who isn’t precisely the most well-liked fighter within the sport, however has received world titles in three divisions at age 26.
Garcia’s precise achievements lag far behind. Within the lone battle that wasn’t in opposition to an opponent rigorously chosen, the lasting impression is that Ryan Garcia obtained dropped and stop in opposition to Tank Davis.
To many, that was his actual check, and he failed.
Haney isn’t Davis as an attraction, they usually’re very totally different within the ring. Tank is a rattling good boxer and a tough, correct puncher. Haney is a rattling good boxer however doesn’t have a repute for energy. That mentioned, he appeared bodily robust in opposition to Regis Prograis final 12 months, and there’s some thought that at 140, he’s merely in higher form than he was his final couple fights nonetheless struggling to make 135.
Garcia has expertise. The velocity is a pure reward, the ability is actual. However Haney believes that Garcia merely has not advanced for the reason that two fought each other as youngsters within the newbie ranks, and it’s straightforward as an out of doors observe to suspect he’s proper, that Garcia has stagnated in his progress and simply hasn’t actually improved the best way he might have.
Even should you imagine in his expertise, the query is now whether or not Garcia has the precise drive and keenness to ever stay as much as it. Biking via title trainers the previous few years — Eddy Reynoso, Joe Goossen, Derrick James — additionally raises not less than an orange flag should you’ve seen that occur sufficient occasions.
Whereas Haney is constant and centered and a real skilled in relation to his craft, Garcia is way more of a query mark and wild card. Can he really be nice when it issues, bell-to-bell between the ropes?
That’s what’s on the road for Ryan Garcia on Saturday, greater than Haney’s WBC belt. If Ryan can win, he’ll silence the doubters, not less than in the intervening time, and he completely is harmful within the matchup. Haney has been damage earlier than by smaller guys who don’t have the pop Garcia brings. If he may even admirably compete, that’ll say loads, too, as a result of Haney is a top-tier fighter.
If he loses the best way he did in opposition to Tank, although, the clock begins loudly ticking on how lengthy Garcia generally is a dependable draw. You don’t all the time must win to get consideration, however the extra you lose, and the extra individuals begin pondering you simply can’t compete at prime stage and are masking that with “straightforward” wins, the tougher it will get to maintain that large public engaged and prepared to pay cash to see you battle.
In some methods, it’s loads simpler to turn out to be a star shortly than keep one long-term. Ryan Garcia is a star. He achieved that via a years-long assault on social media. Now he has to show he deserves to remain one, and that solely occurs with ends in the ring.
