Ryan Garcia blasted his promoter, Bernard Hopkins, today at the final press conference, letting him know that he’s not the one who will decide when it’s time for him to retire from the sport.
The light welterweight contender Ryan (23-1, 19 KOs) was furious with the 58-yer-old Hopkins over some comments he’d made recently, and he let him have it today at the 25-year-old Kingry’s final press conference for his twelve round headliner against Oscar Duarte (26-1-1, 21 KOs) this Saturday, December 2, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Ryan feels Golden Boy picked Duarte as his opponent for his fight this Saturday, hoping he’ll lose and derail his career. He says they tried to get him beat when he fought Romero Duno in 2019, but he ruined their plans by knocking him out in the first round.
Ryan is coming off of a seventh round knockout loss to Gervonta Davis last April, and he needs a win over the 27-year-old Duarte to get back on track. Duarte is a fringe contender at 135, so he should be an easy win for Ryan, as he’s not a major player at lightweight.
It’s unclear why Ryan believes Golden Boy wants him to lose, especially back in 2019, as that would be them shooting themselves in the foot. Ryan is showing signs of paranoid behavior, magnifying things, and making a big production out of Hopkins’ comments.
Either way, the relationship that Ryan has with Hopkins and Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya seems poisonous right now, making it difficult to imagine them continuing to work together for much longer.
Ryan Garcia rips into Bernard Hopkins
“One thing that has been on my heart is the statements that Bernard [Hopkins] has made where he’ll decide if I’m going to finish or if I should continue boxing after this fight,” said Ryan Garcia during today’s final press conference for his bounce-back clash against Oscar Duarte this Saturday, December 2nd on DAZN.
“He [Hopkins] don’t decide that. My coach [Derrick James] and my team do. Everybody that grinds with me, day in and day out, are the ones who decide. Ultimately, God decides, not him,” said Ryan.
It would be wise for Ryan not to pay too much attention to what some of his promoters say, as they’re former boxers and had long, punishing careers.
Hopkins especially had a long career, so Ryan should tune him out and put things he says into perspective. He’s not someone who went to private schools and was groomed to be a management type.
“Nobody told him when to stop boxing,” continued Ryan about Bernard. He stopped boxing at 45 [correction: Hopkins stopped fighting at 51 years old in 2016]. So kudos to him, but he don’t determine that.
“He also said that he calls out on the bull s*** and the lies. The last time I checked, he [Hopkins] said he’d never lost to a white boy, and then Joe Smith knocked him out of the ring. The last time I checked, Joe Smith Jr. was white. So, they be lying,” said Ryan.
Kingry should focus on his career and not listen to what some of his promoters say. What he needs to do is start winning again and have his promoters set up the best possible fights for him.
Moving forward, Ryan shouldn’t get stuck too long on fighting scrubs because there are a lot of big-money fights out there for him against Gervonta, Teofimo Lopez, and Devin Haney.
“I come to show what I bring, and I’m laser-focused. That’s where this confidence comes from. Thank God for everything,’ said Ryan.
Ryan believes Golden Boy wants him to lose to Duarte
“Another thing I want to touch on, Oscar [De La Hoya] saying that we misinterpret what they say. It’s plain English. I didn’t hear anybody speak any language that I don’t know,” said Ryan Garcia.
“It’s very clear to me that they’re backing this guy [Oscar Duarte] to beat me, just like they thought [Romero] Duno was going to beat me. He was the next Filipino star. They’re saying he’s [Duarte] the next Mexican star.”
That sounds like crazy talk from Ryan Garcia to think that Golden Boy is “backing” Duarte to beat him, and view him as the “next Mexican star.”
All you have to do is watch Duarte’s recent fights to know that he’s a soft job who would drown if he were thrown in with one of the good lightweights like Raymond Muratalla, Edwin De Los Santos, William Zepeda, or Vasily Lomachenko.
Now, if Golden Boy matched Ryan Garcia against their fighter William Zepeda, then you’d have to conclude that they’re trying to get him beat because he has actual talent, but Duarte is a very beatable guy,
“You know what? I put everything into this fight. I’m extremely committed for a long time. 2021 was the time that kind of broke me,” said Ryan. “2022 changed me. 2023, opened my eyes. I’m about to come back for everything. I’m laser-focused. That’s where my confidence comes from.
“I’m here to make an example of the 140-lb division. This is how I’m coming. This is the Ryan Garcia that you’re going to get. I’m going to continue boxing.
