Ryan Garcia: After Tank, I’m calling out Devin Haney

By Boxing News - 03/22/2023 - Comments

By Adam Baskin: Ryan Garcia says he’s calling out undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney if he successfully defeats Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis on April 22nd.

Ryan states that he’s fought Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) six times in the amateurs, splitting them at 3-3, and he wants a seventh tiebreaker against the gargantuan welterweight-sized lightweight.

If the Ryan-Haney fight does take place, it’ll likely happen at 140, as Haney is so huge for the 135-lb division, and it would be pointless for the match-up to take place in that weight class.

Haney looked like death warmed over in his last two weigh-ins for his fights in 2022  against former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr at 135, and he’d look silly insisting that Ryan fight him in that weight class.

Ryan had a chance to fight Haney a couple of years ago but opted not to pull the trigger on the match. Haney has what could be the last title defense of his undisputed lightweight championship against Vasily Lomachenko on May 20th.

If Haney wins that fight, as many boxing fans believe will be the case, he’s expected to vacate his four belts and move up to 140. It would be an ideal time for Haney and Ryan to battle it out at light welterweight in a mega-fight with no belts on the line.

It really doesn’t matter that there won’t be a title at stake for the Ryan-Haney fight because both guys are already popular enough with boxing fans that they don’t need a belt to validate them in the eyes of fans. Going through the trouble of winning a world title first before they meet would be time-consuming and pure waste.

“Right after this, I’m calling out Devin Haney. That’s another prime fight. Bring on Devin. I fought him six times in the amateurs. ” We need to have a seventh one,” said Ryan Garcia to Bradley Martyn’s Raw Talk about his intention of calling out Devin Haney if he successfully defeats Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis on April 22nd.

“3-3,” said Ryan when asked what his record was for his six fights against Haney in the amateurs. “Life is good, bro.

Ryan:  Tank is just a man with a purse

“They do not know what’s in me. They do not know. I’m really ready for this moment. I’ve dreamed about this moment,” Ryan said about his fight against Gervonta. “Do you know how long I’ve been calling this man out? He does not know how much studying I’ve done on him.

“My whole life has led up to this moment. My brother is a southpaw. I’ve only been fighting southpaws my whole life. Everybody I’ve fought has been a southpaw. If that don’t show you, this is my moment, this is my moment,” Ryan said about his having been ramping up for the fight against Gervonta his entire career.

“The only one that can mess it up is me, but this is my moment to win or lose. He’s just part of the plan. He’s just part of the bigger picture. He’s just a little stepping stone I’ve got to get over; that’s it.

“He’s just part of the overall picture. He’s going to remember that. He’s just that man with a purse. That’s it. I got a beat up a man with a purse,” said Ryan referring to the fashionable handbag that he had with him during their recent press conference. “I’m stomping that!

“I don’t know what’s up with those glasses,” said Ryan about the sunglasses Tank was wearing during their press conference.

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