Ryan Garcia wants to fight Terence Crawford in the street or in the ring, daring him to settle their feud with bare knuckles. Crawford started it by calling Ryan a fake who only talks tough when his bodyguards are around.
“@RyanGarcia only talk tuff for the internet. He’s know it’s all for show. I promise if I seen him without his security guards and the cameras he’ll be a complete different person. 😂 he say I’m a bully but I was the one they got for the bullies. 😉” Crawford posted on X.
“Okay so let’s square up bro on or off the ring I’m ready to handle this,” Ryan responded.
“I’m bout to go to the gym f**k it! Don’t make me too mad I’ll be 39 in 10 Days dam.😂” Crawford posted on X, reacting to the public challenge.
Crawford mentioning his age serves as a classic two-way insurance policy veteran fighters rely on when engaging younger rivals. First, it is an obvious attempt to shame Ryan in the court of public opinion. By pointing out that he is turning 39 in ten days, Crawford paints the picture of Ryan as an opportunist barking at an older retired man.
Second, it sets up an immediate built-in excuse if they ever step into the ring and things go wrong. If Crawford fights Ryan and wins, he looks like an ageless boxing master who schooled a prime champion twelve years younger than him. If he gets caught by Ryan’s left hook and loses, the narrative shifts immediately to Father Time: Crawford was 39, long past his prime, and stepped off the couch to do it.
Veteran fighters use that trick constantly to protect their pride. It allows Crawford to dismiss Ryan publicly while simultaneously laying down the foundation for an alibi if he decides the money is too big to pass up.
The money makes Crawford look hypocritical. He labels Ryan an internet creation, yet he keeps feeding the circus. A bout against the WBC welterweight champion offers Crawford another massive payday if sitting on the sidelines starts getting old.