Ryan Garcia Updated His Status Wednesday Night
Unbeaten Lightweight contender Ryan Garcia, who withdrew from his main event July fight with fellow contender Javier Fortuna two weeks ago, posted an update on his situation Wednesday. And, the WBC’s #1 contender at 135 lb. is indicating that he’s ready to start training again, etc.
Garcia took to Instagram, where he has nearly 9 million followers, to let them and everyone else know the latest with him,
“Thank you to everyone showing there support! With the help of my support team and my family, I’m making steps forward. Why anxiety and depression hit me like a truck and why I’m still recovering I’ll never know. But I’m trying to cope with the issues I’m having! This bag is my anxiety and I’m swinging with my full intent to destroy it!! said Garcia in the post.
As we wrote previously, the 22 year old Garcia was scheduled to headline the July Golden Boy Promotions show on DAZN against the former world champ Fortuna. But, he announced in late April that he was no longer going to be involved and cited mental health as the reason. Saying at the time, in part,
“I know this news may be disappointing to some of my fans, but I am announcing today that I am withdrawing from my July 9th fight. At this time it’s important to manage my health and well being. I have taken some time off to focus on becoming a stronger version of myself…”
We were intrigued by a subsequent “Three Knockdown Rule Podcast” with long time boxing insider formerly with ESPN, Steve Kim and his co-host, actor/entertainer and big-time fight fan, Mario Lopez, discussed the Garcia situation.
Kim relayed on the podcast that he’s learned that Garcia, ranked #1 by the WBC at 21-0, has privately been complaining about Golden Boy Promotions having picked the outdoor venue Banc of California Soccer Stadium next to the USC campus in L.A. for his July main event, which would be held in the Southern California heat in the late afternoon and early evening.
According to Kim, Garcia has made it clear he doesn’t like fighting fights in outdoor conditions. However, Kim also relayed when Garcia did his latest new agreement with Oscar De La Hoya’s promotion, it gave Golden Boy the exclusive authority to designate when and where Garcia’s fights would be.
Garcia hasn’t specifically addressed that point, but his mother actually posted a response in several locations on social media, including our Facebook page, as a defense of her son. She said that Kim and Lopez were wrong to speculate that the outdoor site, the heat, etc. was the reason(s) for pulling out of the Fortuna fight.
Garcia was last in the ring in TKO win over England’s Luke Campbell in Dallas in January solidifying his top status with the WBC.
Meanwhile, while we wait for what’s next with Garcia and a possible ring return, Golden Boy and DAZN have apparently moved forward with former Jr. Lightweight World Champ JoJo Diaz replacing Garcia to fight Fortuna in July.
They have not officially confirmed the Fortuna-Diaz fight, and it’s not known if it will keep the July 9th date or not. But, something official should be coming soon.
A veteran broadcaster of over 25 years, T.J. has been a fight fan longer than that! He’s the host of the “Big Fight Weekend” podcast and will go “toe to toe” with anyone who thinks that Marvin Hagler beat Sugar Ray Leonard or that Tyson, Lennox Lewis or Deontay Wilder could have beaten Ali!
