On some days, Ryan Garcia hits the mitts, and during breaks, he hits the keypads, generating an uproar on social media. The American’s social media antics have left the boxing community concerned ahead of his upcoming fight with Devin Haney. While some believe the star boxer needs help, others have labeled his actions as a ploy. What if he has engulfed the fans in a thick fog of shoddy concern and is rearing to rip apart the champion psychologically?
‘KingRy’s cryptic and nonsensical social media posts have the fans in flux, prompting concerns from WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and raising the demands of a mental health checkup from the NY athletic commission. However, a question lingers in the background. Why would the 25-year-old call upon such trouble for a fight he hotly pursued? It seems he is sharpening his boxing tools and also ensuring he bridges the gulf of skills through psychological advantage.
Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia: The mind games at its best
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How can you take down a technically gifted champion, especially when you aren’t on par with him? ‘The Dream’ fights on the back foot, hides behind a jab, and whenever you try to infight, he catches you with heavy blows. Meanwhile, Garcia relies heavily on his speed, quick hands, and his devastating left hook.
Unless the challenger knows how to mix his left hook and unload it with a surprise, the chances of him emerging victorious are slim. But what if the Victorville native overwhelms Haney’s skill, clogs his mind with doubts, and then catches him off-guard? That might also work, and that’s precisely what Garcia is doing.
With Derrick James overlooking his development, you can expect Garcia to be diligent with his work. James is a no-nonsense trainer with a penchant for discipline. So you can’t expect Garcia to go rogue and let James’ efforts go to waste. Garcia’s recent pictures of him being in peak physical fitness also second this. So why is he playing around with his shenanigans?
Haney, at 31-0, gets easily riled up. Garcia, who has fought him in his amateur days, knows how to exploit his weakness. The rumors of Bill Haney and the team looking for a replacement in case Garcia backs out are evidence of the latter’s effective psychological tactics. The doubts are already seeping into their team, and they are least worried about what Garcia brings to the table now.
Remember when Garcia employed a Floyd Mayweather-esque shoulder roll in his last fight with Oscar Duarte? You can expect him to add more weapons to his arsenal, even if they are not perfected to the core. There is more to it. The lightweight boxer’s theatrics are attracting eyeballs to the fight.
Maybe taking a leaf out of Dillon Danis’ playbook
Teddy Atlas spoke his mind when he revealed that Garcia’s mental illness might be real. But that was creating interest in the fight, and as a result, it will help sell tickets. Dillon Danis did something similar with his aggressive social media posts. The MMA fighter ensured his fight with Logan Paul generated 1.3 million PPV buys. You can expect similar numbers when Garcia collides with Haney.
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And Garcia is not the first one to do it. Mike Tyson did it in the past. ‘Iron Mike’ stooped to unhinged behavior, appeared in funky interviews, even declaring his intent to make his opponent his “girlfriend.” Donovan Ruddock might tell you how trash-talking could have a deteriorating impact. The tickets for those tickets sold like fire, and you can expect something similar on April 20.
Even if Garcia doesn’t leave the Barclays Centre as champion, he could surely leave the arena with a hefty paycheck. Few have picked him as the winner against Haney. His promotional actions can ensure he will have one of the biggest payouts of his career.
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What do you make of these antics by Ryan Garcia ahead of his fight with Devin Haney? Do you believe he will get into Devin Haney’s head? Let us know in the comments below.