Ryan Garcia feels he’s already the ‘Face of Boxing’ and will dethrone “Mid” WBC light welterweight champion Devin Haney on April 20th in their fight on DAZN PPV.
This fight can’t come soon enough for many fans, who are looking forward to seeing if Ryan, 25, can pull off the upset against Haney, a fighter who is viewed as the #1 guy in the 140-lb division.
Ryan has got the power and hand speed in his favor, but he’s got to find a way to land his shots against the highly defensive Haney, who uses several different tricks to avoid getting hit.
One of them is to leave his left hand far outstretched to prevent his opponents from getting close. It’s an illegal maneuver, but Haney gets away with it due to referees that casually approach to officiating.
The New Breed of Superstar
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) says his fights are exciting, while Haney’s boring and overly technical affairs have hurt his popularity. The two-division world champion Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) should be a star now, but he’s failed. Ryan is a star with limitless potential.
In contrast, Ryan has already achieved a measure of stardom, even without winning a world title. That shows that being a world champion in this era doesn’t guarantee popularity in this era.
To be a superstar in this generation, you need a thrilling fighting style and a personality. Haney is badly lacking in both of those areas; hence, his dad, Bill, does the talking for him.
Devin’s fights involve jabbing, holding, and slipping punches. Entertainment value is nowhere to be found in Haney’s fights, resulting in poor ticket and PPV sales.
Garcia’s Belief is Unwavering
“When I was locked in, I hurt him every time. There were times where I didn’t lock in and he beat me on points,” said Ryan Garcia to the DAZN Boxing YouTube channel, talking about his past fights against Devin Haney in the amateurs.
“When I fight, it’s great. When he [Haney] fights, it’s MID [low quality]. When he fights, it’s ‘Devin Haney, the boxer.’ When I fight, it’s ‘This is a Ryan Garcia fight. This is a show.’ There’s a different energy. We’re not the same. I’m about to show you when it comes to fight night.
“I went and started blowing up in the pros, and I went my own way. I’m just stepping into my climb, and I feel in my heart I’m the ‘Face of Boxing,'” Ryan continued. “I say that because of my upside and how I can have a higher reach. I feel like I’m just that guy now.
“I touch places that Canelo can’t touch, and I touch places that no fighter can touch. I’m a marketing machine, and I have the will to be the best at everything I do. Will this fight solidify me as a world champion? Yes. Do I need that? Yes. Am I going to do it? Yes,” said Ryan.
