Abner Mares says Ryan Garcia must “stay relaxed” to defeat Tank Davis

By Will Arons - 12/22/2022 - Comments

Abner Mares says he’s noticed how “jumpy” Ryan Garcia has been lately when talking to Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, and he feels that can’t afford to be amped up during their April fight if he’s to have any shot at winning.

Mares feels that Ryan (23-0, 19 KOs) needs to “stay calm” because if he fights off emotion, he could wind up losing. As it is, Ryan is in over his head in terms of experience as a professional, and he’s already looked vulnerable in the chin department. Luke Campbell dropped him, and he struggled badly against Jayson Velez.

Like Tank, Mares doesn’t know why the 24-year-old Kingry chose not to take a tune-up because he thinks it would have been a good idea for him to stay active.

“I think it’s smart, but at the same time, Tank is getting a fight in a couple of weeks, and I think he’s going to have an advantage as far as that,” said Abner Mares to Fighthype about Ryan Garcia’s decision not to take a tune-up.

“He knows his reasons,” Mares continued about Ryan not taking a warm-up fight. “He’s a good kid, a smart kid. He’s got a great adviser and a great team.

“So I’m sure there’s a reason why he doesn’t want to take this [tune-up] fight. It can’t just be because ‘I want the big fight.’ Yeah, you’re getting the big fight, and it’s going to happen. If it’s already promised to you, why not take a tune-up fight?

“I’m no one to say anything because he knows his reasons. Maybe the danger. Maybe he doesn’t want to take the risk. I don’t know. There are a lot of things. That’s his decision.

“I think the difference in this fight is the maturity level on both ends. You either come out with a game plan and stick with it, or you get hot head. You get tricked into a fighting style, meaning more towards Ryan.

“Ryan is really calm, but if Tank can get under his skin, which I’m noticing a lot. If you notice, Tank never talks bad about Ryan. But Ryan is more jumpy. ‘Yeah, I’m going to knock him out.’ Stay relaxed.

“It’s going to be a chess match. It’s going to be the intelligent fighter that takes the win,” said Mares about the Tank vs. Ryan Garcia fight.

“Being active does help, but at the same time, I know the risk that is on the line,” said Mares about Ryan deciding against a tune-up. “A cut or something. But Ryan chose not to. He says he’s ready for the big fight [against Tank].

“There are pros and cons. Either way, as long as we get the big fight that we’re all asking for, which is Tank against Ryan, let’s do it. As a boxing fan, I can tell you that it’s a really even match-up.

“Honestly, I see the growth in Ryan Garcia in his last two performances. You see the calmness, how relaxed, and how much of a pro he’s become.

“When he knows he’s got the power, it’s only a matter of time. Tank, on the other hand, you see him growing as well. A lot of people were hard on him when he fought [Mario] Barrios.

“They said he was losing the fight and didn’t look good. But I thought he fought a smart fight. I thought he was choosing his punches. He fought the right fight, and when he wanted to let off, he let off.

“When he did, you saw the results. When got the critics. Both fighters, we’re getting them in their prime. Sometimes, we let these fights pass by, and they don’t fight in their prime; being the case of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

Mayweather taught Tank the game

“He was raised up through that family, and it’s perfect for us. It takes the edge off of us,” said trainer Calvin Ford to Fighthype about this being the first fight for Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis since leaving Mayweather Promotions.

“The Mayweather family was great to us. They taught us the game. That was the Mayweather generation. This is the GTD generation now. It’s perfect. Who did he learn from?

“He showed him a lot of stuff. When Floyd got with Tank, he showed him the talent that he had. How to be that guy. When you look at all the fighters, what are they doing? They follow in whose steps? Tanks,” said Ford.

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