Ryan Garcia’s speed and power pose a major danger to Devin Haney for their mega-fight on April 20th, says boxing expert Abel Sanchez.
WBC light welterweight champion Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) won’t be able to throw to the body of Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) without putting himself at risk of being knocked out with Kingry’s left hook that he likes to throw.
It’s expected that Haney will pull a Jamaine Ortiz and use movement to keep Ryan from landing his power shots. When Ryan does get close, he’ll get tied up by Haney, and the crowd will hate it, especially if it’s PPV like Devin’s last match against Regis Prograis last December.
Body Shots Risky for Haney
“Ryan is faster than Devin, and he has more power. I don’t think Devin is going to go to the body that much because he’ll expose himself,” said Abel Sanchez to Fight Hub TV about the Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia fight on April 20th.
“If he throws a left hook to the body. If Devin starts throwing to the body, he’s exposing himself. He has to reach for Ryan, and Ryan is pretty lanky. He has pretty long arms. If he reaches for him, then he’s putting himself in the position where he’s going to get caught. All it takes is one where you’re reaching out and exposed like that.”
Ryan does have the power to KO Haney at any point in the fight, but not if he’s fighting defensively all night like he did against Prograis. It’ll be virtually impossible for Ryan to land if Haney uses the step-back approach we saw him employ against Regis.
“So, I think he [Haney] boxes him more, and uses a Muhammad Ali style where Muhammad Ali never went to the body. I think the last time I saw him go to the body was against Cleveland [Williams]. So, I think that’s what Devin is going to have to do.
The Linares Blueprint & Garcia’s Power
“Keep your headshots and not extend yourself. [Jorge] Linares hurt him [Haney] because he’s sharp, not because he has the kind of power that Ryan has,” said Sanchez. “Ryan’s a big boy. Now that he’s come up to 140, he’s got a lot more of a chance to build up a little bit and not sacrifice losing the weight.”
Linares nailed Haney because he took advantage him trying to throw a combination, and he staggered him. Haney probably won’t dare fight the same way against Ryan because he knows how powerful his left hook is from first-hand experience in their six fights in the amateur ranks.
“So, he’s probably fighting at a normal weight for him right now. So, if Linares can hurt him [Haney] at the 126-pounder that he was, he hurt him because he was sharp and because he had experience. Garcia just has brute power. Speed makes power,” said Sanchez.