Ryan Garcia’s erratic habits has overshadowed each storyline involving him and WBC junior welterweight champion Devin Haney. The rivals meet within the boxing ring on Saturday with solely Haney eligible to win the title after Garcia missed weight on Friday.
A battle between two of boxing’s high younger stars has been swept up within the cyclone of Garcia’s regarding psychological state. Garcia’s irregular habits and obsession with conspiracy theories raised the query, “what occurred to Ryan Garcia?” Most anticipate the implosion of a promising younger boxer. Some viewers hope that is an elaborate ruse by Garcia, however lacking weight by three kilos doesn’t assist that idea.
Garcia is coming off a knockout over Oscar Duarte in December, which was a bounce again from the primary lack of his profession in his highest-profile battle to this point. Garcia was stopped through physique shot towards Gervonta “Tank” Davis the place many questioned if he might have continued.
Haney seems to be laser-focused. The undefeated former undisputed light-weight champion has a reputable beef with Garcia and isn’t sympathetic to his foe’s unstable conduct. Saturday presents a chance for Haney to usurp Garcia’s star energy. Haney is the champion and extra completed fighter; nevertheless, Garcia’s aptitude for social media makes him the extra globally acknowledged fighter. The chances favor Haney as the higher fighter in nearly each regard however Garcia’s pace and signature left hook create simply sufficient doubt and intrigue.
Haney has been on a roll in the previous few years. He turned undisputed light-weight king with a pair of victories over George Kambosos in Australia in 2022 earlier than vacating the titles and transferring as much as 140 kilos. He earned the vacant strap with a thrashing of Regis Prograis final December.
“Ryan could have the pace however I’ve the timing,” Haney stated. “I simply need to present how I’m ranges above this man. Ryan is a median fighter with a giant identify. I’m a confirmed fighter, confirmed champion [and] I used to be examined by a number of the greatest fighters on this planet.
“I believe Ryan is a C+ fighter and I am an A+ fighter, so it is a mismatch. I’m right here for a purpose. It is me versus greatness.”
Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the remainder of the undercard earlier than attending to a prediction and decide on the principle occasion.
Haney vs. Garcia battle card, odds
|
Devin Haney (c) -910 |
Ryan Garcia +575 |
WBC junior welterweight title |
|
John Ramirez -200 |
David Jimenez +160 |
WBA interim flyweight title |
|
Arnold Barboza -1100 |
Sean McComb +650 |
Junior welterweights |
|
Bektemir Melikuziev -1200 |
Pierre Dibombe +700 |
Middleweights |
Viewing info
Date: April 20 | Location: Barclays Middle — Brooklyn, New York
Begin time: 9 p.m. ET
Learn how to watch: DAZN PPV, PPV.com | Value: $69.99 with subscription, $79.99 with out
Predictions
Campbell: The puncher’s probability that Garcia brings into the ring with him due to his elegant hand pace and reckless demeanor of late is a problem that Haney might want to deftly keep away from early on. However the longer this battle goes, the extra possibilities Garcia’s fledgling approach has in letting him down with the form of mistake {that a} technical grasp like Haney could make him pay with ease. As soon as Garcia settles down from an inevitably aggressive begin, it turns into solely a matter of time earlier than Haney occasions him with the form of clear counter shot that might deliver an instantaneous finish to the battle. Choose: Haney through KO8
Brookhouse: There are two methods Ryan Garcia might conceivably defeat Devin Haney. Let’s first have a look at the extra complicated of these paths to victory. On this case, Garcia must be higher than he has ever been whereas Haney has to have the worst night time of his profession, which suggests Garcia has additionally been pulling considered one of historical past’s biggest troll jobs by making everybody imagine he is in the course of a psychological well being disaster and specializing in seemingly every thing apart from this, the largest battle of his life.
The opposite path to victory for Garcia is way extra easy. Centered or not. Mentally wholesome or not. Simply land his patented left hook flush to Haney’s jaw in a manner that retains the champion down.
Haney has been buzzed in his profession and his response was profitable, although not inspiring. When Jorge Linares clipped him within the tenth spherical of their 2021 battle, Haney seemed to only survive to the ultimate bell, working and holding greater than preventing. And Joseph Diaz’s late stress within the subsequent battle appeared to bother Haney a bit as properly.
However Haney has gotten higher and grown from these fights. He approached his two fights with George Kambosos with out concern, as he did towards Vasiliy Lomachenko and Regis Prograis.
As a lot as I’ve toyed with the thought, I can not decide Garcia to land the shot he wants for the knockout. Haney isn’t going to be defeated by head video games. He’s a boxer to his core, too centered to desert his life’s work and battle recklessly, and Haney is, skill-for-skill, merely higher than Garcia. Except Garcia lands an ideal punch, the true query is whether or not Haney merely tactically bludgeons him for a full 12 rounds or if he finishes Garcia off. I believe we see the latter, probably with Garcia considerably voluntarily escorting himself out of the battle alongside the way in which. Choose: Haney through TKO10
Smart: There’s the potential of some “loopy like a fox” at play right here, however it may take a monumental effort from Garcia to show it to everybody after the hellacious slog this has been. At each flip, it has felt as if Garcia has both not taken this significantly or rushed right into a battle he is aware of he cannot win. Whereas Haney isn’t identified for his energy, he’s arguably among the best technically expert fighters on this planet. And with the openings that Garcia is certain to go away open when he tries to choose at Haney from a distance, Haney will punish him with vicious counter punching. Be mindful, it isn’t as if Garcia has a rock chin after being flash knocked down by Luke Campbell in 2021. Except the choice to cease chopping weight actually pays off early with energy, Garcia is certain to get caught by one thing and never reply properly when it occurs. Choose: Haney through TKO6
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