Ryan Garcia: “After [Tank Davis], we calling out Devin Haney”

By Jim Calfa: Ryan Garcia already has his next fight planned out against Devin Haney after his mega-clash against Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis on April 22nd.

(Photo credit: Esther Line/Showtime)

Ryan (23-0, 19 KOs) wants to break the tiebreaker he and Haney have from their six fights during their amateur days. Both fighters have won three fights in that rivalry.

Before the two can meet up, Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) must beat Vasily Lomachenko next month in their fight on ESPN+ PPV on May 20th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Haney will be defending his undisputed lightweight championship in that fight.

Ryan has a difficult fight on his hands, going up against the unbeaten Tank Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) on April 22nd on Showtime PPV at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The oddsmakers have Tank as a solid favorite, and it may require a knockout for Ryan to win.

That won’t be easy because Tank has got a strong chin, and he’s going to be on guard to avoid getting hit by Ryan’s powerful check left hook.

“Right after this [Gervonta Davis], we’re calling out Devin Haney. That’s another prime on-prime fight,” said Ryan Garcia to Raw Talk Podcast. “Bring on Devin. I fought him six times in the amateurs. Now we need to have a seventh one. 3-3,” said Ryan when asked what his record was in his six with Devin.

“There’s power and obviously speed, and then you take into consideration the timing of the punches, the ring IQ and the mentality is going to be a big one and the focus. Who is going to stay determined and focused the longest because this fight here is going to take one mistake? That’s how elite these guys are,” said Oscar De La Hoya to Fight Hub TV about the Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis fight.

“It’s going to take one mistake. Who is going to make that mistake? Who knows, but whichever fighter makes it is going to go down,” De La Hoya continued.

“Being desperate, and knowing that you’re behind, confidence where you think and fall into a trap. You think you have them, and for a split second, you tell yourself, ‘I’m going to try something new.’ No, you have to stay focused on what you worked on in the gym. It’s like anything,” said De La Hoya on what leads to fighters making mistakes in fights.

“Ryan Garcia and Tank Davis, they’ve been working for years for this moment, and whoever stays focused is going to be victorious. It’s difficult. It takes a lot of discipline,” said De La Hoya when asked how hard it is to stay focused in fights when you’re getting hit.

“I remember when I fought Hopkins, and I lost that focus for a split second, and ‘boom,’ it was over. But you know, throughout the whole fight, I was actually doing good. So it only takes one moment in your head to get you out of your game plan, and that one punch can come in, and you’re not ready for it. I think focus is going to be a big one.

“I saw a focused fighter, I saw a well-oiled machine, and I saw him working on his overhand right hands, which is expected, but he looks great,” De La Hoya said about what he observed from watching Gervonta’s public workout, as expected. He should be.

“This is the fight of your life. So I’m extremely pleased that both guys are ready and ready to go,” said De La Hoya.