By Barry Holbrook: Next Saturday, Golden Boy Promotions fighter Ryan ‘Kingry’ Garcia is going to show whether he’s for real or not when he takes on Luke Campbell for the interim WBC lightweight crown on January 2 live on DAZN.
If Luke beats Ryan the way his promoter Eddie Hearn believes he will, Golden Boy will need to make a decision whether to keep him on the payroll. In boxing, you have to be more than just a YouTuber to exist at the highest levels.
If that’s all Ryan is, a YouTuber, Campbell is going to make a mess of him next Saturday night.
Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) is going to be tested in a big way by the 33-year-old Campbell in their contest at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Ryan Garcia gets to show if he’s for real or not
Garcia, 22, has built himself a large fan base outside of the ring on social media, but he’s done zero in boxing. Although Ryan has talked tough on Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram, he’s not fought any world-class opposition to show that he’s the real deal.
Campbell’s promoter Eddie Hearn is still surprised that Golden Boy is allowing this fight with Ryan to take place, as he views this a mismatch. Either someone at Golden Boy has dropped the ball or they’re trying to put Ryan in his place to teach him a lesson.
Golden Boy has matched Ryan against the lower-tier fighters in showcase fights and kept him away from the opposition that might expose him.
In looking at Ryan’s last handful of fights, he’s only learned how to throw left hooks and has no other weapons in his arsenal. His right hand is nonexistent and lacks any semblance of power. Ryan’s jab is weak and rarely throws it.
Garcia mainly looks to throw left hooks, and when that weapon is taken away from him, he clinches repeatedly.
Carlos Morales neutralized Ryan’s left hook in their fight in 2018, and he battered him the entire fight.
Ryan won the fight by a 10-round majority decision, but the boxing fans saw it as a clear victory for Morales, who was the B-side in the fight.
De La Hoya hoping Ryan will replace Canelo
Ryan’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya is counting on him becoming the next star for Golden Boy Promotions to replace superstar Canelo Alvarez, but he doesn’t have that kind of talent.
One Week Out. ⏳#GarciaCampbell pic.twitter.com/2VTPP5JYvi
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 26, 2020
The young 22-year-old Garcia is now being trained by Canelo’s coach Eddy Reynoso in hopes of his talent rubbing on him, but he still looks to be the same fighter. Ryan is always looking for the left hook, and his right hand is nowhere to be found.
Campbell has been in with Vasily Lomachenko and Jorge Linares, and fought well in both fights despite losing. The way that Campbell battled both guys, it’s impossible to imagine Ryan fighting in the same way.
The southpaw Campbell showed a lot of different looks against Linares and Lomachenko, which made it difficult for those fighters.
Ryan is more one of a one-dimensional fighter, who when he can’t land his left hook, he tends to grab and hold. He doesn’t have a right hand or a jab to use when his primary weapon is taken away.
If Ryan beats Campbell, he wants to face Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis. Other possibilities for Ryan are Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, and Vasily Lomchenko. It would be a really bad idea for Ryan to fight any of those guys, but that’s likely what we’re going to see.
For Ryan’s sake, he needs to get this biggest payday he can if he gets by Campbell because this might be his only chance for a big-money fight. Right now, it’s likey that Campbell will bring Ryan down to earth and show that you got to be more than a social media star to fight at the world level.