Ryan Garcia Not the Only Fighter to Suffer Due to Gervonta Davis’ Rehydration Clause

‘It doesn’t Get Any Better Than This,’ well, that’s how the April 22 bout between Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis got unveiled. The billing proved its mark with the seventh-round stoppage. However, as many dwell on the reasons for Garcia’s loss, one element, in particular, seems to be raising its head again. The rehydration clause warranted the Californian to ease up in terms of weight. Was that the reason why he couldn’t perform to the optimum?

The fight between Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis set out at the catchweight of 136 pounds. The latter continued to fight in the 135 lbs division, including the January title defense against Hector Luis Garcia. However, Garcia switched over to 140 pounds during the last year’s fight against Javier Fortuna.

Besides his apparent physical superiority over Davis, this brought about the rehydration clause’s inclusion in the fight deal. With a height of five feet, eight-and-a-half inches, and a reach of seventy inches, ‘KingRy’ is undoubtedly the bigger fighter between the two.

You are not alone, Ryan Garcia

The clause entailed both belligerents trimming their weight to a uniform of 136 pounds and forbidding them to gain more than ten pounds in the lead-up to the battle. While speaking on the ‘All The Smoke’ podcast, this is what ‘Tank’ Davis had to say about the rehydration item, “I mean it just [it just] making sure everything’s fair, you know. I mean, I know that he’s a bigger fighter. He’s coming in. He already had the advantage of the [the] height, the size, the [the] arm left like everything. He had the most advantage, [you know,] so I’m just making it a little fair…..”

During the post-fight interview, Ryan Garcia didn’t present it as an excuse for his defeat. However, he did state how he felt physically, “I mean, If I’m honest… I didn’t feel too good, I mean, I felt a little weak, you know, going into the ring, my legs didn’t feel too much under me but once the fight got going…”

So were there other examples in the past? In a new twist, Ryan Garcia might not have been the only boxer who agreed to a rehydration clause in a fight against Gervonta Davis. At least, Michael Benson‘s latest tweet seems to confirm it. Yesterday he shared a tweet with a comment from the former WBA (Regular) Super Lightweight champion Mario Barrios. The latter stated that he had also signed up for rehydration in 2021 when he fought Gervonta Davis.

Barrios lost the fight when ‘Tank’ knocked him down in the eleventh round of their State Farm Arena bout. He ended up surrendering his title too. The merits and demits of the rehydration clause remain open to debate. However, lest it’s forgotten that it was Garcia who called out Davis in the first place for the match and agreed to weigh himself down. That’s why many Davis fans deem his move a bit circumspect, intentionally protecting his interests against a bigger opponent. Interestingly, as the situation seems to be turning to, per available reports, Garcia seems disinclined for a rematch with Davis if it takes place under 140 lbs.

Read More: How Much Money Did Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis Take Home After Record PPV Buys?

What is your take on Mario Barrios’s statement? Do let us know your views and opinions in the comments section below.

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