The information convention Thursday in Los Angeles to advertise the April 20 struggle between 140-pound titleholder Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia was unsettling.
It began on an fascinating sufficient observe, with Garcia arriving at a nightclub in Hollywood on a white horse. Nevertheless, it devolved right into a back-and-forth change that makes one wonder if the struggle will even happen.
The weirdness began the night time earlier than, when Garcia posted a picture of himself smoking what gave the impression to be marijuana on social media. The struggle is simply seven weeks away.
And as he spoke Thursday his voice was unusually muffled.
Haney, sharing a dais with Garcia, seized on that by suggesting that his opponent “cease the coke. It’s f—— up your voice.”
Garcia responded that he doesn’t take cocaine and supplied to take a drug take a look at to show it however admitted that he does occasion, saying, “I drink and I smoke weed. And so has the vast majority of this room.”
“What sort of instance are you?” Haney mentioned. “The youthful era ought to look as much as us.”
Garcia admitted that posting the picture on social media was a mistake. He additionally acknowledged that he’s flawed and that it may be troublesome for a 25-year-old to deal with stardom, including, “Generally the load of the world feels prefer it’s on my shoulders.”
That’s an odd remark given that almost all fighters attempt to undertaking energy, not weak point within the lead as much as a struggle.
Then, in maybe probably the most weird second of the information convention, Haney gave the impression to be honest when he requested Garcia repeatedly whether or not he plans to indicate up for the struggle.
Garcia didn’t reply. As an alternative, seated on the dais, he sat silently utilizing his mobile phone.
The champion and the challenger did have interaction within the compulsory stare down after the formal portion of the occasion. Nevertheless, in a single final odd second, Garcia stepped away virtually sheepishly as Haney delivered trash speak.
Will Garcia step into the ring on April 20 in Brooklyn, New York? If that’s the case, will he be within the correct mind set? We’ll see.
