By Jim Maltzman: Ryan Garcia expects to be facing Manny Pacquiao and Devin Haney in 2021 to make it a big year for him. He says he’ll be ready to take the baton from Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) to become the next big star in the sport f boxing.
The fight with Pacquiao could take place at 140, according to the unbeaten Ryan Garcia. He thinks Pacquiao will agree to come down to 140 to fight him.
Ryan ready to shock the world
It’s kind of surprising that King Ryan is predicting that he’ll get a clash against Pacquiao in 2021, given that he still hasn’t fought at light-welterweight. But with the victories that Ryan is predicting that he’s expecting this year, the Filipino star won’t have a problem fighting him.
The 21-year-old Ryan doesn’t see anyone else out there other than himself to become the next big thing in fighting Pacquiao.
But before facing Pacquiao next year, Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) wants to fight Jorge Linares and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis to beat those two.
As far as Ryan is concerned, the only true champion at 135 is IBF belt-holder Teofimo Lopez, and that’s because he beat Richard Commey to win the title. The other champs, Tank and Vasiliy Lomachenko, didn’t defeat anyone good to earn their belts.
Pacquiao and Haney on Ryan Garcia’s target list
“I’ve already revealed my plans. These dudes are trying to catch up on me,” said Ryan Garcia to Fighthype about the fights that he has in store for him. “I said I was going to fight Linares and then Gervonta Davis. And I said I was going to fight Luke Campbell, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I feel like I’m going to fight Linares, then Gervonta Davis, and I’m going to knock his a** out.
“In 2021, I see two things. I don’t know if it’s going to be 100%, but I see me fighting Manny Pacquiao, and I see me fighting Devin Haney. It makes no sense, but Freddie Roach told me that Manny Pacquiao can make 140,” said Garcia.
Beating Tank Davis will put Ryan at the top of the sport, and he’ll be able to pick and choose which big names that he wants to fight. Pacquiao likes to fight popular guys, and he would be doing that by taking on Ryan if he’s red-hot by next year.
Pacquiao could be fighting Mikey Garcia in his next fight, potentially in the summer months. Mikey has only had two fights at welterweight and looks smaller than the 5’10” Ryan. If Pacquiao is willing to fight Mikey, then it makes sense for him to face Ryan as well.
Ryan not prepared to be humble like Pacquiao
“Manny Pacquiao is so humble. I would have to get like that at an older age. Right now, I’m so hyped up. I want to prove myself, and I’m hungry. That’s going to be later on down the line to be like that.
“I just don’t have that in me right now,” said Garcia. “I’m just too hungry, but I respect that he’s that kind of man. Manny Pacquiao needs to pass that torch to me. I love Pacquiao. He’s one of my inspirations,” said King Ryan.
It would be going against the type of person Ryan is for him to change his outgoing personality for him to speak modestly like Pacquiao. To try and remake his personality could prove to be impossible for the young Ryan Garcia.
It makes sense for Ryan to be modest after he’s accomplished essential things in the sport of boxing, but not right now while people believe in him yet. Garcia hasn’t won his first world title. Once he does that, then he’ll begin showing the doubters his potential, and they’ll realize that he was right all along.
King Ryan to take Pacquiao’s place
“I’m the only fighter that he can pass that to. There’s nobody else, I’m sorry,” said Ryan in talking about taking the baton from Pacquiao. “They only come once in a while, and I thank God that he put me in this position. I’ve got the world watching me right now. There’s not one fighter like me, brother.
“Is that for no reason, no? But it’s my job to work and keep working and take advantage of it. I’m not letting it slip. Nobody is going to get in my way with that. I don’t care. You can fight it all you want, but you’re not in the position to do it,” said Ryan Garcia.
“So I feel that once I get a real title and beat Gervonta Davis. Notice that I said ‘REAL title’ because they don’t have a real title. I’m the real champ, and you’re the fake champ. You’re just holding my belts. You’re not a champion, just a belt holder,” said Ryan.
Moving into Pacquiao’s big shoes would be huge for Ryan. It would reverse things. For fans that remember how Pacquiao retired Oscar De La Hoya in 2008, it would fit for the De La Hoya-Esque Ryan to return the favor to Manny. Pacquiao probably won’t retire off of a loss to Ryan, but if we’re talking consecutive defeats, that might do the trick.
Lomachenko isn’t a “REAL champion”
“Do you understand what I’m saying? You’re not I don’t even think Lomachenko is a real champion at 135. Who the f*** did he fight? Let’s be very honest and clear right now. None of them are real champions at 135. The only thing Lomachenko has is his background that solidifies him as a champ. But in reality, 135 is open for grabs. I’m sorry.
The only real champion in that division is Teofimo Lopez. Yeah, because he beat [Richard] Commey, and he fought his way to get that title. Lomachenko is not the real champ. So Teofimo is the real champ in that weight class. I guess Commey is alright, but he’s not an animal. He’s short as f*** too.
“All these dudes are shorter than me, and not as talented as me. They’re OK. Teofimo is an OK fighter with a good IQ in the ring, but he’s not talented enough to beat me.” said Ryan.
WBA/WBC Franchise/WBO lightweight champion Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) won his titles against these fighters:
- Anthony Crolla – WBA
- Luke Campbell – WBC
- Jose Pedraza – WBO
Those fighters aren’t on the same level as Gervonta Davis and Teofimo Lopez. By Ryan beating them, he would be putting himself in front of Lomachenko.
