Promoter Eddie Hearn has questions about Ryan Garcia’s mental state before his fight against WBC light welterweight champion Devin Haney on April 20th.
Hearn likes Ryan’s hand speed and power, but he just doesn’t know whether he’s prepared for his highly anticipated headliner against Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) on DAZN PPV at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
One thing Hearn has concerns about is whether Ryan (24-1, 20 KOs) will implode during fight week in New York with the spotlights on him with the media. He will be under the microscope, and will have a lot of pressure on him.
For someone who is already on the edge, putting them under pressure can worsen the condition, resulting in further deterioration. Who knows what would happen with Ryan, then?
Doubt and Uncertainty
“Ryan can punch. Preparation-wise, who knows? Two or three weeks ago [there was doubt], and that has got to be quite difficult for Devin because did Devin really think this fight was happening in his heart of hearts?” said promoter Eddie Hearn to the Best Women Boxing Show.
“He’s a real pro, Devin, but he’s had to come through the doubt, and now we’re two weeks away. The fans need to say, ‘It’s actually happening.’ Each day it draws closer, it’s more likely.”
Where Haney could have problems is if he tries to make it exciting for the fans, which has been missing in most of his fights since his close call against Jorge Linares in 2019.
If Haney chooses to stand in the pocket in the fight rather than using his typical finesse pull-back style, he could get clipped by Ryan, who can punch and has far better hand speed. Haney’s punch resistance is weak, and he has no power.
Ryan’s chances of winning increase if Haney fights him instead of playing it safe with his safety-first style. If you’re Haney, you almost have to mix it up if you want to become a PPV attraction because the fans haven’t shown any interest in purchasing his events due to his boring style of fighting.
Analyzing Ryan’s Behavior
It’s a great fight. A lot of people will tune in just to see where Ryan is at because of the madness that he’s been putting out there; he controls it,” said Hearn.
“When he gets to New York, he’s going to be under the microscope with the media. There could be further implosions coming. I don’t think Oscar, Bernard, his parents, and Derrick James would let him go into a fight if he really wasn’t ready. If they are, they should really be ashamed of themselves.”
It would be a disaster if Ryan had a mental breakdown the week of the fight. Also, he’s talked about wanting to do damage during the fight, talking breaking arms and biting Haney. Would Ryan resort to any of those things? Who knows?
“So, I think he’s looking great in the gym. One thing, it’s not a troll, but maybe he feels like he’s speaking the truth, and ‘this is the real me. So, I’m actually in a great place.’ So, how do we know, ‘I actually feel great. I’m saying what I want to say. I feel amazing,” said Hearn.
