Garcia will face two-division world champion Haney, who currently holds the WBC junior welterweight title, on Saturday, April 20th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Haney, 31-0 (15 KOs), is a pound-for-pound fighter, but Garcia, 24-1 (20 KOs), had harsh comments on his behalf before the fight.
Garcia took time to answer questions during a media training session in Texas last week, and one of the more provocative questions came from evaluating rival Haney’s boxing skills. Haney is considered one of the most intelligent martial artists of his time. “In my opinion, I think people are overestimating his (Devin Haney’s) boxing ability,” Garcia said.
Still, Garcia doesn’t feel as passionate about his boxing skills. Garcia was a U.S. champion as an amateur. He was 3-3 against Haney as an amateur, but people talk more about his speed and power than his boxing skills or in-ring intelligence.
Asked if he thought people underestimated what he brought to this fight, Garcia replied, “I’m underrated.” “They hate me because I can’t shut up and keep talking. But I’m going to keep doing it no matter what. At the end of the day, they just hate me.”
One of the reasons Garcia is so underrated is his clumsy defensive moves. He can pull straight back, but that is a big no-no as it will result in a clean hit with a powerful punch in the opponent’s dominant hand. In his last match against Oscar Duarte, Garcia used a strange-looking “shoulder roll” and was ridiculed. Garcia is very good at what he does, has good timing and can fight for long stretches, but he probably hasn’t reached his full potential as a pro yet. His best performance was stopping Luke Campbell as he fell off the screen. It wasn’t Haney’s dominant performance against Regis Prograis, for example.
Another glaring hole in Garcia’s resume is that he has never won a world title.
“I was one of the best amateur players,” Garcia added. “He lost the match to Gervonta Davis, who is probably one of the best players in the world, so he had to lose weight and rehydrate.”
Garcia was stopped by Davis in seven rounds, and the contest attracted over 1 million pay-per-view buys, but Garcia had to agree to a rehydration clause. Garcia will be making his second pay-per-view appearance – this time against Haney, who isn’t known for his power. Will Garcia be able to make up for his last professional loss and build on his amateur success?
Garcia is an underdog, but he seems to think he can do it.
Editor’s opinion
Introduction: The upcoming showdown between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney promises to ignite excitement in the boxing world.
Garcia’s POV: Garcia’s outspoken nature and belief in his abilities sets the stage for an interesting battle.
Underestimation: Despite Haney’s praise, Garcia questions the general perception of his opponent’s boxing ability.
Self-awareness: Garcia’s confidence that he is undervalued drives his determination to prove his worth.
Defensive Deficiencies: Analyzing Garcia’s defensive vulnerabilities provides insight into areas for improvement. Unrealized potential: While he recognizes Garcia’s talent, he also recognizes his potential to grow as a professional boxer.
Career Milestones: A look back at Garcia’s career highlights and setbacks, including past encounters and world title ambitions.
Last loss: Insights into Garcia’s loss to Gervonta Davis and the impact it had on his career trajectory.
Pay-per-view appeal: Assess Garcia’s commercial appeal and upcoming pay-per-view fight with Haney.
