Boxing is a pretty brutal sport. To succeed in it, you need not only talent but also a strong character. Therefore, all athletes who have achieved significant success are very interesting people. Let’s talk today about a truly talented boxer of our time, Ryan Garcia.
Who Is Ryan Garcia?
Garcia was born on August 8, 1998, in Victorville, California. Garcia Sr. was into boxing since childhood and passed this passion on to his son.
From an early age, he personally trained him in a makeshift gym. The father’s keen eye immediately spotted the boy’s talent. In addition to his amazing athletic abilities, Ryan also had an amazing work ethic. He could train for hours, forgetting about everything.
During his amateur career, he entered the ring 230 times and won 215 of them. However, Garcia’s amateur career developed in Mexico due to the peculiarities of American legislation.
Ryan Garcia’s Boxing Career: Key Highlights
Now, fights with Garcia will immediately appear in the bookmakers’ line at https://ind.1xbet.com/line/boxing. However, at the beginning of his career, he was practically unknown in the United States. Let’s take a closer look at his professional path.
The Beginning
At 17, Garcia felt he was ready to enter the world of professional boxing. In America, it is illegal, so the fight took place in Tijuana.
It was a fight with Edgar Meza, which the young boxer finished with a technical knockout. This crushing victory and his previous achievements in amateur sports attracted the attention of Oscar De La Hoya. In November 2016, they signed a contract.
First Title and Path to the Top
The following year, Ryan methodically defeated his opponents, including Tyrone Luckey and then Mario Macias. In the fight against Miguel Carrizosa on September 15, 2017, Garcia not only won by knockout but also the vacant title of NABF Junior champion in the super featherweight division.
In November of the same year, the fighter successfully defended the title in a fight against Cesar Alan Valenzuela. Following the results of 2017, Garcia received the title of the most promising boxer of the year.
2018 brought Ryan the vacant titles of NABF and WBO NABO champion in the super featherweight division. The fighter received the awards following a meeting with Puerto Rican Jason Velez in May at the StubHub Sports Center in California.
For his next fight, against Carlos Morales, which took place in September 2018, the fighter entered the lightweight division. But the move to another category did not stop him from continuing his unbeaten streak.
It took the athlete only a year to add to his list of titles once again. On September 18, 2019, Garcia defeated Romero Duno by knockout in the first round, winning the WBC silver lightweight belt.
Further Career Development
In 2020, Ryan had to defend his title only once. On February 14, Garcia entered the ring against Francisco Fonseca in Anaheim. He landed seven punches before knocking out his opponent with a left hook in the first round.
In July, a conflict arose on Twitter between Garcia and MMA fighter Henry Cejudo. The boxer said that a fight with the former mixed martial arts champion would be the easiest in his life. In response, his opponent called him a “dirty Oscar De La Hoya impersonator.” Garcia himself had a tense relationship with the promoter due to his refusal to fight Orgil Vertis. The fighter considered the fee of $200 thousand too modest, asking for half a million.
On January 2, 2021, Ryan won the fight for the WBC lightweight title. In the 7th round, the boxer knocked down Luke Campbell with a punch to the body. The Englishman said in an interview that he received the hardest blow in his entire career.
End of Career
At the beginning of 2023, the fighter’s statistics showed no losses: in 23 fights, he won 23 times, including 19 knockout victories.
However, on April 22, a meeting with Gervonta Davis for the WBA Super lightweight champion belt brought him the first defeat in his professional career. Davis knocked out Ryan in the seventh round.
Garcia not only lost the fight but also lost his entire fee. In the run-up to the fight, the opponents exchanged threats and made a bet during a live broadcast on social networks, according to which the winner received the entire prize fund.
Ryan found out his next opponent in the fall. His fight with American Oscar Duarte, who was on a streak of 11 early victories, was scheduled for December 2. Garcia interrupted this streak, knocking out the US representative in the eighth round.
After a successful fight, the boxer challenged American Devin Haney. He accepted the offer. The fight was organized in April in New York. Ryan won by a majority of the judges’ scorecards but failed to win the championship belt, as he did not fit into the weight class at the weigh-in.
And already in June, Garcia announced his retirement. He planned to take up acting or singing. At the same time, the New York State Athletic Commission disqualified the boxer for violating anti-doping rules. The result of his fight with Haney was overturned. Ryan was also expelled from the World Boxing Council (WBC).
Ryan Garcia’s Fighting Style and Strengths
Garcia has a reputation as a knockout artist. His punches really do have devastating power. For his weight class, he is incredibly strong. However, these are not all his strengths. Garcia knows how to immediately seize the initiative in a fight and put pressure on his opponent. His aggressive and confident style quickly brings him an advantage. He dominates the ring both physically and psychologically.
Garcia’s main feature is that he does not act like a standard puncher, launching one sharp and hard blow at the opponent, but throws a combination, maintaining speed and power qualities throughout the entire series of hits.
Ryan Garcia’s Biggest Wins and Knockouts
In his not-very-long career, Garcia can boast an impressive list of achievements:
- 2017-2018 — WBC-NABF North American Junior Champion in the 2nd featherweight category
- 2018 — WBO-NABO North American Champion in the 2nd featherweight category
- 2018 — WBC-NABF North American Champion in the 2nd featherweight category
- 2019-2021 — WBC Silver Lightweight Champion
- 2019-2021 — WBO-NABO North American Lightweight Champion
If you analyze his fights, you will be amazed by the speed with which Garcia won. Thus, on September 15, 2017, it took Ryan less than thirty seconds to turn off the lights of Miguel Carrizos and thereby get the NABF Junior super featherweight title.
On March 30, 2019, the undefeated “King” fought Puerto Rican Jose Lopez, who did not wait for a knockout and preferred to surrender. Thus, by the spring of 2019, Ryan’s record was fifteen fights, only three of which he did not finish by knockout.
On November 2, 2019, in Las Vegas, the young knockout artist met Romero Duno to win the vacant WBC Silver and WBO championship titles. The fight ended in the second minute, and Ryan knocked out his opponent.
Ryan Garcia vs. Top Rivals: The Future of His Career
Currently, the boxer has not returned yet. After the suspension and the scandal with the disqualification, Garcia said that this was only a temporary decision and he would return in a year. He emphasized that the end of his career is temporary, and in the future, fans can expect new crushing victories.
There is no official information about Garcia’s future fights yet. However, this does not stop fans from making plans for the future. Of course, everyone wants to see a continuation of the confrontation with Gervonta Davis. In 2023, he already defeated Garcia, and now fans want to see a rematch. In addition, the scandalous reputation of both boxers fuels interest. From a practical point of view, a fight with Davis would be great for a return to boxing.
Another interesting opponent could be Teofimo Lopez. He also has a reputation for being a hard-hitting and aggressive fighter. So, meeting Garcia in the ring promises to be exciting.
Ryan Garcia’s Road to a World Title: Will He Become a Champion?
At the beginning of his professional career, Garcia seemed like no one could stop him on his way to the championship title. However, a series of scandals and alleged abuse of banned substances did their job. Now, the boxer makes contradictory statements about his plans. On one hand, he says that he will return to boxing. On other days, he says that he wants to try his hand at acting, and the ring no longer interests him.
In terms of talent and fitness, Garcia has everything he needs to make a triumphant comeback. The only obstacle may be his own character. And if he can return to regular training, the road to the championship is open to him.
Ryan Garcia’s Impact Outside the Ring: Social Media and Personal Life
The boxer’s personal life has not been without scandals either. He was seen in numerous affairs, even when he was officially dating the mother of his children, Andrea Selina. Garcia also loves noisy parties, where he sometimes gets into drunken brawls. In other words, his image is far from that of an exemplary family man.
At the same time, he is active on social networks and willingly communicates with fans. For this, Garcia is simply adored. Fans are ready to wait for his return to the ring and constantly encourage him in the comments.
Also, one cannot fail to mention Garcia’s colossal influence on boxing. Thanks to his example, many young guys realized that anyone can succeed. Even if, as a child, you trained in a garage and not in an elite gym, you have a chance.
Ryan Garcia’s Net Worth and Business Ventures
As of late 2024, Garcia’s net worth was estimated at $10 million. This includes not only sports income but also related earnings. Thanks to his developed social media accounts, he has received lucrative advertising contracts from Gymshark, Gatorade, and 1800 Tequila. In addition, he is involved in investing. We have no information about his strategies, but judging by his overall fortune, Garcia has succeeded in this.
Conclusion
Ryan Garcia is a controversial person. He is undoubtedly talented but also prone to impulsive behavior. At the moment, his future in boxing remains unclear. He can return and achieve excellent results if he wants. Time will tell, but for now, Garcia has firmly entered the history of boxing.
FAQ
How old is Ryan Garcia, and when did he start boxing?
Garcia is now 27 years old. He has been boxing since he was 7 years old.
What is Ryan Garcia’s current boxing record?
His official record is 24 wins, one loss, and zero draws.
When is Ryan Garcia’s next fight?
There is no information about his future fights at the moment.
What makes Ryan Garcia one of the best young boxers today?
Its main advantages are incredible striking power and high speed.
How much does Ryan Garcia make per fight?
In 2022, his maximum purse was $3 million. In the fight with Davis, he could have received ten times that, but according to the terms of the bet, he lost everything.
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