By Sean Jones: Ryan Garcia has decided that he wants his rescheduled clash against Luke Campbell to take place on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Callum Smith undercard on DAZN on December 18th or 19th.
The unbeaten lightweight contender ‘King’ Ryan (20-0, 17 KOs) is good friends with Canelo, and they share the same gym and trainer in Eddy Reynoso.
It could prove difficult for Golden Boy Promotions to place Ryan vs. Campbell on the came card as Canelo-Smith, though, for a couple of reasons. Canelo’s fight with WBA super-middleweight champion Callum Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) is a Matchroom Boxing promoted card.
Adding Garcia-Campbell to Canelo-Smith won’t be easy
Golden Boy promotes Ryan Garcia, and a fight with him and Campbell would be their own promotion for a DAZN card. Also, Canelo recently parted ways with Golden Boy after initiating a lawsuit, which ended last week with them letting him out of his contract.
Perhaps the most important reason Ryan and Campbell couldn’t fight on Canelo vs. Smith’s undercard is the money involved. Their fight is a big enough one to be a headliner on its own, and they’re expected to make good money for that fight.
If they’re placed on the Canelo-Smith undercard, will be there be enough money from DAZN to pay all those fighters for that one event? Surely, it’s better for DAZN if Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell headlines their own card, as the money works out better, and it gives them another interesting fight to bring in subscribers.
If Ryan and Campbell fight on the undercard of Canelo-Smith, their fight won’t receive nearly as much attention in the promotion of the contest, and fewer boxing fans will know about it.
In other words, Canelo’s fight with the 6’3″ stork-like Callum Smith will suck all the oxygen out of the December 18th/19th promotion, leaving very little for the Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell fight.
Down for it 🥊 https://t.co/2u63VmimKs
— Ryan Garcia (@KingRyanG) November 12, 2020
Assuming Ryan’s fight with Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) takes place on the same night as Canelo-Smith but at a different venue, King Ryan will be without his trainer Eddy Reynoso. Ryan would be lost without Reynoso, and possibly doomed to a disappointing defeat.
That’s obviously what King Ryan is trying to avoid. Reynoso trains Canelo 53-1-2, 36 KOs) as well, and he’ll obviously be working his corner on the night. The money man is Canelo, not Ryan, at this time.
TEXAS ARE YOU DOWN FOR GARCIA VS CAMPBELL 🥊 ???
— Ryan Garcia (@KingRyanG) November 12, 2020
For a fight as important as the Campbell match, Ryan, 22, needs as much support as he can get. Not only does the young Garcia need his trainer Reynoso, but he might need Canelo to be there to root him on at ringside and to give him confidence that he can win this fight.
A lot of boxing fans believe that Luke Campbell is too experience, too talented and too polished for Ryan right now. Campbell could wreck his career and spoil his dreams of becoming him a huge star.