By Allan Fox: Ryan Garcia took a shot at Canelo Alvarez’s past accomplishment of becoming a world champion at age 20 by minimizing its importance by pointing out that his victory came against Matthew Hatton.
In contrast, Ryan says his first world title will likely be against WBA ‘regular’ lightweight champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis later this year. Ryan says that fans can judge whether fighting Tank Davis is a better fight than Canelo battling Matthew Hatton in 2011.
The superstar Canelo (57-2-2, 39 KOs) and unbeaten lightweight contender Ryan Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs) have been going at it in the past week since King Ry predicted that Gennadiy Golovkin would defeat the star in their trilogy match on September 17th.
Canelo reacted to Ryan’s prediction by saying that he’s “mad” and that he needs to win a world title before he can start giving career advice to different fighters.
“People kept twisting it like I picked GGG after I said that he [Canelo] made that comment about me. They keep trying to pin us [Canelo & Ryan] against each other. I just gave my opinion on why I think GGG can win this fight,” said Ryan Garcia to ESNEWS.
“I just felt that if he had the performance of his lifetime, and I feel Canelo is not in a good place. I don’t feel like I should be bashful about speaking my opinion, speaking my truth.
“He [Canelo] took it personally because what he said was just comical. ‘At 20, I [Canelo] was a world champion,’ which may be true, but everyone’s journey is different.
“He fought for a vacant [WBC junior middleweight] title against Matthew Hatton [in June 2011], and that’s the truth,” said Ryan Garica in minimizing Canelo’s accomplishment of becoming world champion at age 20.
“I have a lot of good people in my division [lightweight]. I can’t pick a Matthew Hatton and become a champion. I have to fight great fighters.
“I don’t mind that he fought Matthew Hatton. I’m just saying, you see the level. When I get my first chance, most likely it’ll be against Gervonta Davis,” Ryan continued. “You tell me what’s worth more. A world champion against Gervonta Davis or a world champion against Matthew Hatton?
Canelo has since captured several other world titles, so it’s not as if his victory over Matthew Hatton is the only time he’s won a belt. Alvarez has beaten some good fighters like Golovkin, Miguel Cotto, Billy Joe Saunders, Daniel Jacobs, and Callum Smith, to name just a few.
Ryan will be fighting next month against Javier Fortuna on July 16th on DAZN at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles.
“All I know is I’m not going to have any mercy on him,” said Ryan about Fortuna.
