When Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia finally end their fist-fighting feud on Saturday night, it could potentially be either a one-sided beatdown or a surprisingly compelling clash. The longtime rivals will finally settle their differences Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The 12-round fight, including undercard action, will be broadcast live on DAZN.
It’s a bit of a surprise that we’ve made it this far given Garcia’s extremely strange behavior in the build-up to the fight and his 3.2-pound miss on Friday morning.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KO) thanked Jesus eight times to begin his portion of Thursday’s press conference. Moments later, he launched a profanity-laced tirade at Haney and, later, targeted an audience member in a rant involving mothers and body parts.
Haney (31-0, 15 KOs), the reigning WBC welterweight champion and one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, apparently tried to remain professional throughout fight week despite the strange antics of Garcia.
But Haney, 25, pushed Garcia in the face during a promotional meet-and-greet atop the Empire State Building in New York on Tuesday. Two days later, Haney had a simple message for his nemesis.
“The antics are almost over. It’s not an easy fight, but one that I will make look easy,” Haney said. “I have my tunnel vision. This will be seen. All his antics and everything he has done will betray him, and it will show.
In December, in his first fight at 140 pounds, Haney won the title with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over former titleholder Regis Prograis. He will make his first defense against Garcia, who appears to juggle three careers: professional fighter, actor and social media influencer.
Garcia, who holds an amateur win over Haney, suffered a seventh-round knockout loss to Gervonta “Tank” Davis in April of last year. He had agreed to a weight of 136 pounds with a 10-pound rehydration clause and entered the ring with a rib injury against one of the sport’s most devastating punchers. The result? Garcia was dropped twice, with the left hand on the same rib he injured being the final culprit.
Garcia bounced back, however, with a ninth-round knockout victory over Oscar Duarte in December.
Since then, his behavior has been reminiscent of a low-budget horror film. After switching between fighting Haney and then-WBA titleholder Rolando “Rolly” Romero, Garcia and his Golden Boy Promotions team were forced to go back to the drawing board and secure a fight with Haney.
Since that time, Garcia – who has spoken openly about his mental health struggle – has made a plethora of erratic and defamatory social media posts in recent months, sparking concerns for his well-being. Garcia, 25, however, insists he is ready.
” What do you want me to say ? I’ve already said everything,” he said at Thursday’s press conference.
Garcia – who is known for his sizzling hand speed – then repeatedly shouted, “I’m on fire” and “I’m strong” before returning to his seat.
Moments later, he barked at the aforementioned audience member.
Haney, dressed in black with sunglasses and gloves, by contrast, remained stoic and composed throughout.
Haney-Garcia is a battle between two extremely talented fighters. Nonetheless, one is focused and the other seems to be heading down a self-destructive path to defeat.
Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia Prediction
This is an interesting matchup in terms of physical attributes. Haney has an excellent southpaw jab, superior defense, and ring command beyond his years. Garcia also has the physical tools to win this fight. He has height, reach, speed and power. At the very least, Garcia has a chance to win this fight and pull off an upset. Will this happen? I do not think so.
Garcia spent too much time on social media and not enough time preparing for one of the biggest fights of his life. Depending on how you look at it, the Davis fight was one of the most anticipated fights of 2023, even though it was a non-title fight. This upcoming battle against Haney is for a legitimate world title. Garcia has a chance to write himself into the record books, but he doesn’t seem to care. Win or lose, he has every chance of making more money in the long run as a content creator.
From a skill standpoint, Haney has a significant advantage over Garcia. He is one of the sharpest and most disciplined boxing athletes. He is a master ring technician with precise punches and impressive footwork. Garcia is fast, but timing often beats speed when you leave your chin in the air, drop your hands, and overextend your punches, leaving yourself vulnerable to a countershot.
The second round of the Davis fight was a perfect example of this. Garcia missed the left hook and Davis, an elite counterpuncher, floored him with a straight left hand. Haney doesn’t have the power of Davis, but a champion of his caliber should win this fight hands down. The animosity that Garcia inoculated into this event may have played a role in promoting the fight, but it will be immaterial once the bell rings.
I’m taking Haney against Garcia in the third round, but don’t be surprised if Garcia gets disqualified either.
News Source : sports.yahoo.com
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