Trainer Joe Goossen believes he has the real tank in his corner.
The touted trainer linked up with Ryan Garcia earlier this year, and now, the rising phenom has a meeting set with Gervonta Davis in 2023 at a yet-to-be-determined date and venue.
Davis has earned the nickname “Tank” due to the devastating knockout power he possesses – 25 of his 27 career wins have come via knockout, resulting in a 92% KO clip.
When you ask Goossen, however, Garcia (23-0, 19, KOs) is the one that packs a more powerful punch between the pair.
“When [Garcia] works out, people are hypnotized. They can’t believe what they’re seeing,” Goossen told Lance Pugmire of FightHype.com. “I know Tank has very great offense, and it does when it’s going his way, but it’s not like Tank has had it his way his entire career. When you go up against top-notch competition … Nobody is immune to getting hit.
“The thing is, I think per square inch, Ryan possesses a much heavier punch [than Davis]. I believe that for a particular reason. With that said, neither one of these guys want to get hit with the other guy’s best shot.”
Goossen has gone through two fight camps with Garcia, a unanimous decision win against Emmanuel Tagoe in April and a knockout win against Javier Fortuna in July.
“You don’t want to get hit by either one of these guys, but I believe that Ryan is the bigger guy, too. I think Tank is at the right weight now at 135 with his size. Ryan just turned 24 in August. He’s still growing,” said Goossen.
“[Garcia] looks like a full-fledged welterweight in the ring. I believe Ryan has the same type of build [that Oscar De La Hoya did coming up in the 1990s].
“[Garcia is] not only going to be heavier [than Davis] but he’s got a longer reach. He’s got a distinct advantage in height, and he’s a clever guy. He’s got quick hands, he’s got incredible power he’s going to be a welterweight in a 135-pound weight class when they fight.
The 28-year-old Davis is 5 feet 5 ½ inches tall and has a 67 ½ inch reach.
Garcia is 5 feet 10 inches tall and has a 70-inch reach.
“My faith in Ryan Garcia, as good as Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is, I am so confident in Ryan’s abilities to win this fight that I wish it were a little bit sooner, to tell you the truth,” said Goossen.
Before Davis and Garcia square off, Davis will return to the ring Jan. 7 against Hector Luis Garcia.
Ryan Garcia also plans on fighting in January as well.
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.
