Ryan Garcia supplied a word of concern for his upcoming adversary.
Late Thursday evening, the boxing world was greeted to studies that Garcia and Devin Haney, the WBC 140-pound titlist, agreed to a showdown to happen April twentieth on DAZN Pay-Per-View at a venue to be decided.
The rivalry between Victorville, California’s Garcia, 25, and Henderson, Nevada’s Haney, 25, stems from their novice days, once they break up six fights, three wins apiece.
“I can’t anticipate you guys to see (being higher than Haney,” Garcia advised FightHype.com. “April twentieth, purchase your ticket. We’ll get into extra of this after I bought time to essentially digest the questions. However as of proper now simply know, begin praying for Devin.”
Requested to touch upon how negotiations crossed the end line for what can be one other high-profile struggle for Garcia, the previous light-weight contender pointed to his staff. Garcia is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and suggested by Lupe Valencia.
“I’ve bought an excellent staff,” Garcia mentioned. “I don’t fiddle with attempting to make the most important fights occur. There’s loads of issues. It’s right here, what does it matter?”
Of Invoice Haney, Devin’s father-trainer-manager, Garcia was far much less charitable.
“Invoice Haney must cease the pimping recreation,” Haney mentioned, referring to feedback the elder Haney made not too long ago. “He’s pimping his personal son. Inform him to f— off.”
The matchup marks Garcia’s first try at a world title.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) suffered the primary lack of his profession final 12 months when he took on Gervonta Davis, arguably probably the most bankable American prizefighter in the intervening time, and misplaced by knockout within the seventh spherical.
Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) has emerged as one of many prime fighters within the sport within the final couple of years. He grew to become undisputed light-weight champion in June of 2022 with a complete unanimous choice over George Kambosos, a end result he would replicate within the contractually-mandated rematch 4 months later. Haney adopted that up final 12 months with a title protection in opposition to three-division titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko, profitable a considerably controversial unanimous choice.
Instantly thereafter, Haney moved as much as 140 for the primary time in December to tackle then WBC junior welterweight titlist Regis Prograis. Haney dominated the extremely regarded Prograis over 12 rounds to gather a unanimous choice.
Sean Nam is the writer of Homicide on Federal Road: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, and the Final Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing.
