Ryan Garcia was captured on camera during a press event at Toyota Center in Houston. This image was an unavoidable flashpoint of a contentious relationship between Garcia and his promotion company, Golden Boy. The trouble began when Garcia, who was eager to make a big-name fight happen, ended up losing against Gervonta Davis, as the bout shattered pay-per-view records.
The fight was marked as an unsavory example of Garcia’s performance, as he was unable to measure up to the skill of Davis, one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighters. The event was one of great significance, as it arose from Garcia’s persistent call-out of Davis, emulating the fearlessness of his idol, Oscar De La Hoya. It was an unexpected fight, supposedly too early in Garcia’s career for such a challenging match, potentially indicating he was unprepared.
Garcia would soon be tested when he fought Oscar Duarte in a super lightweight bout at The Toyota Center in Houston, a match that could have been a pivotal moment of redemption. Nevertheless, Garcia faced difficulty even prior to this fight, when a comment from legendary former champion Bernard Hopkins, who was a promoter for Golden Boy, casted doubt on Garcia’s future career. The controversy reached a boiling point when Garcia expressed frustration at Hopkins’ comment during a podcast.
The relationship between Garcia and Golden Boy was already strained due to ongoing litigation and previous social media spats. However, following the public disagreement with Hopkins, the future of their partnership seemed dire. Criticisms against Golden Boy’s promoting tactics began to surface, signifying that the boxer’s mental health and overall performance were heavily impacted during this time.
Given the acrimonious public dispute and increasingly acerbic tone, the situation between Garcia and Golden Boy appears to be at a critical impasse. As Garcia’s promising career, and the fate of their partnership, hang in the balance, the outcome of his upcoming fight could determine the trajectory of both his career and his relationship with Golden Boy.
