“Jake Paul Closer to Me Than Ryan Garcia”: Devin Haney Questions ’KingRy’s Boxing Skills Ahead of April 20 Showdown

Boxers taking potshots at each other is nothing new. Especially in the lead-up to a fight is the phase where fans come across their icons indulging in happy-hour slighting and trash-talking. So why should the upcoming Devin Haney–Ryan Garcia be an exception? The fight has already garnered considerable traction, thanks to the online activities of Ryan Garcia. Then back-and-forths between the two boxers scoffing at each other remained the norm. With barely two left for their fight, intensity in sledging might find a sudden surge.

In the latest, Devin Haney shouted disapproval at Ryan Garcia’s boxing skills. Indirectly, it sparked an involuntary comparison with another young boxer who has been trying hard to prove himself in professional boxing. Incidentally, the subject too faces a big fight in the near future. Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia will fight on Saturday, April 20, at the Barclays Center in New York for the former’s WBC light welterweight title.

Devin Haney raises ‘The Problem Child’s hands versus ‘KingRy’ 

One of the hosts at the ‘Real 92.3 LA’, where ‘The Dream’ joined as a guest, remarked that come April 20, the world will get to know which of the boxers is better prepared for the fight. Not sparing the opportunity to take a jibe at his rival, Devin Haney added, “We’ll see we’ll see if he’s tick-tocking or if he’s training.” The next question followed. In terms of skills, would he rather deem Ryan Garcia closer to his prowess? Or, is it close at hand with someone like Jake Paul?

“Yeah, I mean know uh, Jake Paul. Jake Paul actually trains. I know Jake Paul well, and he trains so uh and he’s focused,” replied the light welterweight champion. A host immediately did the honors to conclude, “Ok, Devin Haney just said Jake Paul’s more of a boxer than Ryan Garcia.” Another one chipped in, “That’s what I heard; that’s what I heard.”

With a smile on his face, Devin Haney remarked, “Jake Paul closer to me than Ryan.” That immediately had the entire panel break into hearty laughter.

Jake Paul: Invested in Boxing, But…

No prizes for guessing; even Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions caught hold of the clip. They shared it through its official Instagram handle, saying, “Devin Haney says Jake Paul is closer to him than Ryan Garcia.” One of the followers replied, “Tommy Fury is nowhere near Ryan Garcia, and he spanked Jake Paul.” But then there were fans who probably found in Devin Haney a knight in shining armor for defending  ‘The Problem Child’s cause.

Incidentally, Jake too has a big fight in hand to take care of. On July 20, he will face none other than ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson at the AT & T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It is reported to be an exhibition match. However, it will push whatever he has learned in boxing thus far to the threshold. Long chided for fighting retired UFC fighters, ‘The Problem Child’ changed tracks last year. He fought a professional boxer, Tommy Fury, for the first time. However, the experiment couldn’t succeed, as he lost the match by a split decision.

Later, he fought two more boxers, albeit semi-retired ones, knocking them out in the opening rounds. He reportedly wants to display his seriousness about breaching the boxing rankings for good. However, a comparison with a boxer who has been in the sport since his childhood: who has walked through the usual grind of amateur matches and then switched over to professional fights? Many fans must be scratching their heads by now, for sure.

Read More: Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia Purse Split: Champion Takes Less to Make the Fight Happen

What’s your take? Do you also concur with what Devin Haney might have alluded to—that Jake Paul’s boxing skills are much finer than Ryan Garcia’s? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

Also Read: “Better Fight Than Usyk and Fury”: Sylvester Stallone’s Brother Dissects the Upcoming Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney Fight