By Dan Ambrose: Ryan Garcia raised eyebrows this week when he posted a video of him and promoter Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the ring, apparently working out.
Ryan (23-1, 19 KOs) is coming off a seventh round knockout loss to Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in a catchweight fight that reportedly netted him $20 million last April.
From that performance, it’s impossible to imagine Ryan beating any of the top 140-lb fighters like Teofimo Lopez, Subriel Matias, Regis Prograis, Devin Haney, Gary Antuanne Russell or Arnold Barboza Jr. However, that doesn’t mean Kingry can’t win a world title and hold down the belt.
“Just working! Listening and learning from one of the best in the world,” said Ryan Garcia on social media about Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Look what Mayweather has done with his fighter Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero. Rolly holds the WBA light welterweight title following a controversial stoppage win over 40-year-old Ismael Barroso, and he’s campaigning hard for a fight with Ryan.
Some believe Floyd is courting the popular social media/boxer Ryan Garcia, hoping to sign him to his Mayweather Promotions stable.
If Ryan were to sign with Mayweather, he could take the popular fighter, who has 11 million followers on Instagram, and turn him into another Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis secondary world champion.
From there, churn easy money out defending against fringe-level fighters or past their prime ex-world champions. Tank Davis has made a fortune without fighting elite or A-level opposition.
“I’m not looking to sign Ryan, but if he wants to sign and he’s free, I’ll sign him,” Mayweather said to Fighthype. “If Ryan Garcia gets free, will Ryan Garcia be with Mayweather Promotions or PBC? Absolutely. Only if he’s free. Who don’t want to work with the best? Nobody is more knowledgeable about the sport of boxing than me.”
Without Mayweather’s careful match-making, Ryan Garcia’s career will likely fall apart quickly at 140 if he’s matched against the predatory sharks in the weight class.
There are too many killers at light welterweight for an incomplete fighter with a chin problem and an inability to take body shots to hold a title without a skillful matchmaker like Floyd.
He’s worked wonders with the Baltimore native Tank Davis, who likely would have already lost if he’d put him in with Vasily Lomachenko years ago and if’d matched him against Shakur Stevenson or Teofimo Lopez.
The 25-year-old Ryan Garcia is still with Golden Boy Promotions, but it’s unclear how long he’ll be with them before he can move on and sign with Mayweather or someone else.
.@RyanGarcia learning from one of the best ever, @FloydMayweather 📚🧠👨🏫 pic.twitter.com/KgO9zCGWrO
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) August 24, 2023
