Boxing always needs stars. It may need more stars than great fighters. The stars put their asses on the seats, make weight and lead the charge on boxing’s most important question: What’s next? If fans ask that question, if they care, especially fans who can only name a handful of boxers at a time, boxing has someone to lean on. Is it better if the stars are big fighters? Absolutely. This is not a requirement. The jury is still out on whether or not Ryan Garcia is a great fighter. He must be very good.
Guys with speed, height and strength don’t grow on trees. His public battles with his promoters are good copy, but they happen in part because he has talent to invest. However, there is cause for concern, evident in his loss to Gervonta Davis and again in his win over Oscar Duarte last weekend. In both fights, Garcia had moments where his trainers gave him advice and he didn’t seem to listen. Against Davis, Garcia didn’t follow the game plan after a successful first round, laying down and not getting back into the fight. On Saturday, after building a nice lead with his jabs and quick counters, Garcia started using a shoulder roll and always pretended after he said it to back off near the corner.
In the angle leading up to the Davis-Garcia match, the buildup and nature of the match was compared to Larry Holmes-Gerry Cooney. It played out like that fight when the matinee idol hopeful revealed she wasn’t really ready for prime time. After Holmes-Cooney, Cooney remained a star, continuing on the pay-per-view with Michael Spinks and George Foreman. Although he lost, those fights helped set the table for Tyson-Spinks and Holyfield-Foreman. In the end, Garcia was too good and too big for Duarte.
Duarte won a few rounds and pushed hard, but even in a technically uneven fight, Garcia’s toolbox and explosiveness were too much. Garcia has already confirmed that he can handle strong professionals and competitors. We don’t know about the next level yet. Futures: Garcia may not have to find out about that next level anytime soon. Junior middleweight champion Rolly Romero, who was last seen earning a stoppage in a fight he lost badly to Ismael Barroso, has come out and said he doesn’t think Garcia deserves to fight him.
In boxing, winning has nothing to do with it, so they sound like fighting words. Garcia and Tank Davis showed traction with the rest of the field around them in the lightweight and junior divisions currently lacking. Everyone wants to fight them if the price is right and Davis has already seen Romero. Romero is the easiest way to Garcia’s belt around the weights. He’s an even more flawed, less talented fighter who helps kick ass every six inches. The fight makes perfect sense for both men. Garcia is far from advanced. One day, he could hand out losses to Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez or even Davis in a rematch. If he doesn’t, he will be well compensated if those fights happen again and help their stars shine brighter. There is nothing wrong with that. Cliff Notes…
It must be assumed that Michael Conlan’s career is over. Losses by knockout and three of his last five fights do not bode well for further potential. Conlan had high hopes in some corners at the Olympics but hit the ceiling and the ceiling… Teofimo Lopez wants Terence Crawford? Or does he just want attention? Some fighters like to make headlines, and Lopez is good at that. Kevin Lele Sadjo is worth watching. He’s older in terms of fresh faces, but he can hit… Condolences to heavy weight Lennox Lewis on the passing of his mother. Lewis was always the class leader. That says a lot about who he has become.