Ryan Garcia Vows To KO Isaac Cruz – ‘He’s A Beginner Still’
Ryan Garcia has backed himself to knock out Isaac Cruz within five rounds.
His comments were made in response to Cruz’s eighth-round knockout win over Rolando Romero. Garcia was on course to face Romero, only for the boxer to sign a deal with Cruz. Pitbull dominated the fight, almost stopping Rolly in rounds one and seven.
He got the stoppage eventually, becoming the new WBA Junior Welterweight Champion. In his post-fight comments, Cruz indicated his desire to face the biggest names. Garcia was mentioned as one of those. Ryan has responded to the challenge, as he felt he was too much for the Mexican.
Garcia Reacts
“It’s my favorite style of all time. I can’t count how many times I sparring somebody like that, fought somebody like that and been in the gym with somebody like that. He’s even smaller than [Oscar] Duarte. Duarte fought similar to him, but maybe bigger and slower and not as aggressive. Still, a very similar style. They can deny it all they want, but Duarte and Cruz have a very similar style.
“I would just be fighting a smaller version and perhaps and possibly a little bit better than Duarte. But I can handle that because I knocked out Duarte. I feel like I can knock out Pitbull without five rounds. The jab because he’s coming forward anyway. He’s going to have to eat something.
“Rolly made a mistake. He went back way too much in the fight. He doesn’t know how to stop momentum. [And] he doesn’t know how to do anything. He’s a beginner still. It’s not even about technical. He doesn’t know what to do in certain situations. Rolly is still new to the game. He doesn’t know how to handle a pressure fighter,” Garcia said
Haney Reacts
Before Garcia can think about that match-up, he must overcome Devin Haney on April 20. Ryan is chasing his first-ever world title, with the chance to become the WBC Junior Welterweight Champion. He has dismissed the concerns over his mental health after suggestions he may not turn up on fight night.
Garcia’s admission of smoking weed and drinking alcohol created the narrative that he was not prepared for the fight. Haney’s team has also accused Garcia of being on cocaine. However, Garcia’s negative VADA tests have dismissed that. Garcia has also been accused of being overweight, something which he has denied. But he will need to be on his A-game, as Haney has promised to show the gulf in class between the two fighters. He accused Garcia of only having a big name, without the skills to back it up.
“Ryan gets very aggressive, over-anxious, makes a lot of mistakes. We’ve been studying him, we see a lot of those mistakes, we look to capitalize on those and if everything goes to plan, I see me ending him. I think it’s a mismatch. Ryan Garcia is a C+ fighter with a big name.
“He has a name but he’s not on my level, not on the elite level. And I look to show that, that there’s levels to this and I’m a far better fighter and me and Ryan shouldn’t be in the ring. If he didn’t have the name then we wouldn’t be sharing the ring. Ryan is bringing one thing, a left hook to the table, and I’m bringing everything,” Haney stated
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