Ryan Garcia and his infatuation with Gervonta Davis seem boundless. The bad blood between them finally culminated in a clash in the square ring earlier this year. However, a brutal left-body shot left him flat on the canvas and handed him his first loss. ‘KingRy’ never made peace with the decision and is still fixated on a rematch, albeit at 140 pounds. While he feels his redemption lies with ‘Tank,’ the threat of a deep abyss also looms large. Is he chasing vindication or another loss?
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The fans and pundits have hotly debated the stark contrast between the skills of the two arch-rivals when they met in the boxing ring. While they saw a slow-footed and weak Garcia, the Californian boxer blamed the dehydration clause. The apprehension of facing a similar outcome has ensured he never fights below 140 pounds. But is a revenge fight at 140 pounds against Davis a good idea right now?
Gervonta Davis has done it again and again and again
Ryan Garcia has the skills to do it but has yet to do it in different weight categories. Despite him fighting in other weight classes, such as super featherweight earlier in his career, he has yet to prove his mantel in the 140-pound category. Meanwhile, Gervonta Davis has mastered the skill of being a force in three different categories.
Davis, at 29-0, has reigned supreme at super featherweight, regular lightweight, and now at light welterweight. The American boxer is immune to weight-cutting issues, and his knockout power has grown with him moving up. On the other hand, Garcia might have to sacrifice his speed for power, which might not be his ideal weapon to defeat Davis.
Despite this, Garcia is determined to prove his worth and his credentials as the next face of boxing. “You’re gonna see a whole different Ryan. A much more focused Ryan, a committed Ryan. A Ryan that you’ve only seen post-pandemic,” the 25-year-old declared vehemently.
Garcia is embarking on a journey that Davis completed some time ago. He has not lost sight of his future, but his obsession with a rematch at 140 or even 147 pounds is a shortsighted analysis of his loss. That solely stems from Golden Boy Promotions’ cash cow painting the blame on the rehydration clause.
The trouble of dehydration and Ryan Garcia’s 140-pound solution
Ryan Garcia ceded power during the negotiating process and accepted the fight at a catchweight of 136 pounds. He also bowed on a 10-pound rehydration clause. And to this day, Garcia regrets that decision.
“You know, you can’t even do an interview. Can you do an interview? Dehydrated. No. Imagine boxing, you know what I mean? So for me, it’s like just level playing field. Just if you beat me, you beat me,” Garcia told FightHubTV.
What is his solution? Take the fight at 140 pounds. He firmly believes that, under different conditions, he could have slain Davis. While he banks his faith on his boxing prowess, his psychological needle is stuck.
Additionally, Garcia needs to gain experience in fighting and switching divisions. Meanwhile, Davis boasts a splendid resume and is confident, coupled with his years of experience switching between the divisions. What is an alien territory and what Garcia perceives as a level playing field is Davis’ dominant territory.
Can Ryan Garcia afford another loss to Gervonta Davis?
Assuming both go to war again and rack in $100 million in revenue, where does a loss leave Garcia and his career? The American boxer will be left stranded at the young age of 25 without hitting his prime. Davis will become the ceiling and death row of his boxing career.
However, if Garcia topples him, he will become the next big thing in the boxing world. But this outcome seems unlikely given the stark gap that fans witnessed in their fight. The wise thing for Garcia would be to build momentum, pick apart opponents, and then meet Davis in the middle of the ring. Before that, he runs a high risk of jeopardizing his boxing career.
What do you make of Ryan Garcia’s relentless pursuit of Gervonta Davis? Who do you believe will emerge victorious in their rematch
