By Steve Kim
While Ryan Garcia takes on Jason Velez, in what is to date his toughest challenge as a professional prizefighter this Friday night from the StubHub Center in Carson, California, he has bigger targets on his mind.
Such as WBA 130-pound titlist, Gervonta Davis (20-0, 19 KOs), who just last week wrecked Jesus Cuellar in three rounds at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
"Like I said, Cuellar was the perfect opponent for him," said the precocious Garcia (14-0, 13 KO's) who is just 19 years old. "But I'm ready to fight Gervonta now - I don't want to wait. There's no waiting, there's nothing to be like,' Oh, I need to chill out.' No, I will show my boxing skills."
Most pundits believe this particular match-up would be premature for Garcia but he insists that he's got everything necessary to defeat the two-time world champion, who is managed by Al Haymon and promoted by Mayweather Promotions.
"I will out-box him, I know I will because look, nobody has seen it, yet I can move, my footwork. People say,'why is he so stiff?' I don't need to move with these guys. They're right in front of me and....boom," Garcia said.
You wonder given his inexperience if he needs much more seasoning. Just now is Golden Boy Promotions beginning to elevate his level of competition.
Velez, who has never been stopped and fought in the past for a world title on HBO, is coming back from a stoppage win over faded former world champion Juan Manuel Lopez.
"I've been boxing since I was seven years old, I've fought so many different styles. It's not like I'm completely new. I may be young, yeah, I am young - but I know I can do it," he states with confidence.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.
