Ryan Garcia isn’t too concerned about certain aspects that some have described as potential red flags going into his showdown with Gervonta Davis.
The two stars are set to swap punches this Saturday in a 12-round, 136-pound bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Much has been made about the rehydration clause that Davis’ side imposed on Garcia, restricting the lightweight star from Victorville, California, from coming in as heavy as he wants after the weigh-in. Garcia and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya have repeatedly needled Davis and his representatives for requiring that stipulation for their fight.
And much has also been made about the fact that Garcia declined a tune-up bout earlier this year in favor of going straight into a fight with Baltimore’s Davis. Garcia has not fight since last July, when he stopped Javier Fortuna in six rounds.
But Garcia apparently hasn’t been phased by these so-called disadvantages. The 24-year-old believes he will thrive against Davis since Davis has not contractually barred him from using his best weapon: the left hook.
“If you know how to fight, you know how to fight, that’s it,” Garcia said on the Boxing with Chris Mannix Podcast in discounting the potential downside of having not fought in about nine months. “I’m just one of those guys, naturally, [who] knows what to do in a ring. Some people have it. I just feel like you're a natural, gifted fighter, and that’s what I am. I’m a natural, gifted fighter who understands range, real quick, understands what’s going on. I understand what I got to do. All I have to do is get my punches sharp and I’m blessed with it. I’m gonna come into the ring against Gervonta with it.
“As long as he didn’t take [my left hook] from the contract, I’m OK. Take everything else. Take everything from me. Don’t take away my left hook, and we’re good to go.”