Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) is currently donning his gloves as merely days remain for his showdown against Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs). Meanwhile, Garcia was embroiled in a legal debacle with his promoter and former boxer, Oscar De La Hoya, after accusing him of a breach of contract. The recent public workout saw the duo seemingly set their differences aside. In a recent interview, De La Hoya opened up about what changed between the duo.
De La Hoya was in conversation with Curran Bhatia. He was previously seen sharing a hug with Garcia during the public workout, a far cry from their long-drawn legal battle. Talking to Bhatia, he surprisingly credited a dinner with Garcia for this change in their demeanor.
“Communication is everything. He’s always been good to me, he’s always been a good kid, and I’ve always felt it in him that he wants to fight the best,” he said. “I asked him last night, ‘What do you want to do in boxing?’ He started saying this, that, and I go, ‘No, but do you want to be a legend?’ He said, ‘That’s my number one goal, to be a legend.”
De La Hoya credited Garcia with being among the few boxers willing to fight the best. “He’s willing to fight the best. We had an era where everybody was fighting everybody. I did. I built it up, basically. Now we’re going back to that era,” he said.
He further added that Garcia’s willingness to fight the best and put his once-undefeated record on the line helped him become one of the most marketable boxers in the game. Moreover, he mentioned that in doing so, he will undoubtedly ensure a good stream of income from the sport.
“Top three pay-per-view draw”
With the date for the Garcia vs. Haney showdown drawing closer, De La Hoya is confident that the PPVs for the fight will sell extremely well. He mentioned that Garcia’s marketability will ensure commendable numbers.
“I do not doubt that this fight will sell extremely well. Ryan is a top-three pay-per-view draw. Whether you like Ryan Garcia or not, whether he wins or loses, he’s always going to be the A-side because he sells. I love the confidence Ryan has in himself,” he said in an interview with BoxingScene.
Boxing’s current top two PPV draws in the United States are Canelo Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (29-0, 27 KOs). With Garcia’s impressive performances, there’s no denying he’s up there with the giants in the pay-per-view wagon.
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