Ryan Garcia’s antics might not be in vain despite widespread criticism

Ryan Garcia has faced the ire of fans and foes alike for his behavior over the past few weeks. However, there are a few people who believe the young boxer might still achieve his goals despite the outcry on social media. Currently, Garcia is focused, more or less, on his fight against Devin Haney on April 20.

The young boxer has been training rigorously for his fight, despite also indulging in quite a lot of tomfoolery online. Bill Haney, Devin Haney’s father, in an Instagram Live, maintained the sentiment that the fight will go ahead as planned. Haney Sr. also claimed as a matter of fact that Garcia is sane for all intents and purposes.

There are also industry experts who believe that these antics might work in favor of the boxer. This is because they will attract more eyeballs to the fight. The sometimes unhinged and downright fanatical claims made by the boxer have also captured the imagination of non-boxing fans. This in turn has created an unusual curiosity around not only the boxer, his lifestyle, and his recent experience, but also the fight.

Eddie Hearn believes social media distorts reality

One such industry expert, Eddie Hearn, believes that the fight will go ahead because Garcia is surrounded by the right people. Moreover, he asserted that social media gives a skewed view of the situation.

The Matchroom Boxing Chairman is confident that the knowledgeable people in Garcia’s team, such as Derrick James, Oscar De La Hoya, and Bernard Hopkins to name a few, will act in the best interest of the boxer. This is despite the boxer not willing to do so himself on occasion.

Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney settle an old score

Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney are no strangers to each other, even in the boxing ring. The two have met each other a total of six times in the ring, albeit as amateurs. They each have 3 wins and 3 losses coming to a stalemate. As such, now the duo have an opportunity to settle their beef inside the professional boxing ring.

Unfortunately for Garcia, he doesn’t have the undefeated status of his opponent anymore. He lost that status against Gervonta Davis last year. His professional record now stands at 24-1 with 20 KOs. Haney on the other hand is 31-0 with 15 KOs. Despite Garcia having more KOs, Haney has often criticized him for getting those wins against unimpressive opponents. ‘The Dream’, however, has defeated one of the most technically superior boxers in Vasyl Lomachenko.

Garcia vs. Haney will be bigger than Canelo vs. Munguia

Ryan Garcia had the biggest fight of 2023 when he took on Gervonta Davis. Now, he has the opportunity to have the biggest fight of 2024, even surpassing Canelo vs. Munguia by way of anticipation and hype. His fight against Davis was a spectacle to behold. It was exhilarating from the get-go. Despite losing, Garcia maintained his marketability as a fighter, allowing him to make another big fight against Haney after a quick turnaround against Oscar Duarte.

This can be attributed to Garcia staying relevant even during his time away from the ring. His behavior, however erratic, attracts the attention of the world, partly owing to his connection with influencers of all types. Many would also consider Garcia a big social media star, despite boxing being his main foray.

All this, plus the aversion of fans to watch Canelo fight anybody other than David Benavidez will likely make King Ry’s fight against Haney the biggest fight of 2024. There is also a possibility the aforementioned fight might do bigger PPV numbers than Canelo-Munguia.

In case you missed it!

• “Allah knows my intentions,” Devin Haney admits to not fasting during Ramadan amidst training camp for Ryan Garcia fight
• “No amount of hate can separate Mexican bond” – Canelo Álvarez and Ryan Garcia publicly settle feud ahead of Devin Haney super fight

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