Oscar De La Hoya can relate all too well with Ryan Garcia’s decision to switch trainers from Eddy Reynoso to Joe Goossen.
The six-division champion and Hall of Fame fighter was cornered by a who’s who of head coaches and trainers throughout his illustrious career, including Robert Alcazar (1992-2000), Jesus Rivero (1996-1997), Emanuel Steward (1997), Gil Clancy (1997-1999), Floyd Mayweather Sr. (2000-2006, 2008), Freddie Roach (2007), Nacho Beristain (2008) and Angelo Dundee (2008).
Goossen will now be tasked to guide Garcia alongside father Henry Garcia after the fast-rising lightweight contender ended his 3 ½ year, five-fight run with Reynoso.
De La Hoya deems Garcia’s decision to be a great one.
“I’m ecstatic that he has Joe Goossen in his corner now,” De La Hoya told BoxingScene.com in an interview. “It’s like a breath of fresh air. I can understand Ryan’s position of changing trainers. Maybe Eddy Reynoso just didn’t have time for him. Because, obviously, with Canelo, they’re best friends. I’m sure when Canelo tells him, ‘hey, let’s go on vacation, drop everything,’ he’s going to go. What happens to all of the fighters? What happens to Ryan? He’s there training by himself. It’s not fair for a fighter like Ryan who is potentially going to be the next superstar in boxing. That change was a motivation for Ryan to just continue on the path. He’s received a lot of criticism because of his mental health issues, his hand [injury and surgery]. Is he in the sport? Is he not? Oh, he’s this social media darling? This and that. Just stay focused on what you have to do, and I think Joe Goossen is going to keep him on track.”
Reynoso is best known for being the lifelong trainer and confidant of pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez. Outside of the undisputed super middleweight champion, Reynoso also trains the likes of Oscar Valdez, Andy Ruiz Jr., Frank Sanchez, and Julio Cesar Martinez. From 2018 until Garcia’s last fight in 2021, all of Garcia’s bouts with Reynoso ended via knockout.
But chief among the reasons why Garcia decided to split from Reynoso was that he claimed the coach didn’t have the time to work with him 100%.
Goossen gained the proverbial golden goose via the 23-year-old Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) ahead of his fight against Emmanuel Tagoe on April 9 on DAZN in San Antonio at the Alamodome.
De La Hoya said the development of Garcia’s power jab under Goossen’s watchful eye has already been evident as he prepares to take on Tagoe.
“To me, it’s like a match made in heaven,” De La Hoya continued. “The power jab is the key to everything. When have we seen Ryan throw it in the past? He's always been pawing it. His jab is freaking amazing. I see some good things coming. I see this relationship working out. I can’t say how long, but for now, it seems to work.
“I think Joe is going to bring the best out of Ryan. Joe is a strong trainer that does not take any s*** from anybody. Joe is going to have Ryan in tip-top shape. He can be a hardass, and that’s what a lot of fighters need. When it comes to training and getting his fighters ready, there is nobody better.
“I always think that changing trainers can be beneficial. The important person is the fighter. It’s not the trainer. As far as I’m concerned, the trainer is irrelevant. But if you have a trainer today who is going to teach you how to win your next five, six fights, great. And then you want to change to another trainer? Why not if it helps you to grow as a fighter.
“Everybody has their own path and story, and Ryan decided that he needed full-time attention. I agree with him 1000 percent.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or on www.ManoukAkopyan.com.
