Money Fight: Garcia should Duke-Out with Pacquiao, Spence

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

The series of punishment dealt by Lightweight Division’s pug Ryan Garcia on Devin Miles Haney - his adversary last weekend – was scintillating.

NEW FACE of boxing American Ryan Garcia (left photo and clockwise), explosive Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and the still dangerous American Errol Spence. 

While glued excitedly on Round 1 (where Ryan powerful left hook wobbled Haney), I reminisced the mauling of Manny Pacquiao of the then favorite to win Antonio Marco Barrera on their first meeting when I saw Garcia did the same to Haney in Round 7.  I recalled, too, how the hard hitting Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga with his street brawl style kept knocking down the technical – just like Haney – World Boxing Association World Welterweight and Welterweight’s World Boxing Council Champ’s American Vernon Forrest when Garcia felled his opponent twice in Rounds 10 and 11.

My take on Haney: When your opponent is a knocked out artist, you don’t fight him tit-for-tat. The only guy who did it was Sugar Ray Leonard against Roberto Duran on their first hard fought back and forth take- no- prisoner battle. What made Leonard different to Haney, the former had a chin, powerful hand speed, and fast footwork.

POST FIGHT PRESSER

In the post press conference called by the camp of Garcia, Golden Boy Promotion Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Oscar dela Hoya told the members of the press that Ryan is the face now of boxing.

“Ryan is calling all the shots now – that is the fact! If he (opponent) wants to fight at 147, he wants to fight at a catch weight, guess what?  If anybody wants to make money, if anybody wants to make more money they have to fight Ryan. Guest what? He calls all the shots, that’s it!”

Ryan Garcia emerged victorious over American compatriot Devin Haney in a high-stakes match held in New York. The taller and powerful champ strategic implementation of his left hook proved instrumental, leading to his opponenet's staggering knockdowns in the seventh, 10th, and 11th rounds.

DANGEROUS ON THAT EXCESS WEIGHTS

Garcia exceeded by 3.3 pounds the maximum limit of 140 pounds of the Lightweight Division that made him heavier and powerful in the fight night against the beleaguered Haney whose victims were George Kambosos, Jr (twice) and Vasyl Lomachenko (controversial win).

“Garcia would be dangerous despite the technicality of Haney because of that excess weight a day before the fight night,” I told my two grown up boxing aficionado sons a day before the rumble at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City.

Boxing experts and renowned combat sports players opined in the post-fight that the native of Los California should be fighting at 147 pounds (Welterweight) and not to return to the lower weights like when he looked gaunt where Tank Davis knocked him down to the dais big time in Round 2 and knocked him out through a kidney punch on Round 7 on their April 22, 2023 outing.

Garcia mulled to fight the towering Sebastian Fundora - the champion of the WBO and WBC 154 Super Welterweight Division.

 Garcia however should evaluate thoroughly whom to fight next as based on Dela Hoya’s logic for profit.

 Garcia was declared on that breathtaking fight by the ref as the majority (two judges) winners at 114-110 and 115-109 while the other judge gave that controversial draw of 112-112.

HIGH PAYING FIGHT

Garcia camp should call out legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao or Errol Spence – who could enhance the PPV - instead of a rematch with Haney and a duke out with Teofimo Lopez – the present WBO Super Lightweight champ.

On the last outing of Spence versus Terrence Crawford at Welterweight, the event gross $55 million and a gate revenue of more than $20 million while Pacquiao versus Keith Thurman at Welterweight sold $37.5 million in PPV.

The Tank versus Garcia fight in April 22, 2023 at Las Vegas, Nevada earned 1.2 million PPVs at $84.99 and approximately $22.8 million from ticket sales or a total revenue of $124.9 million.

Garcia can earn more than $50 million on his latest match. According to thesporters.com, he stands to earn $30 million not to mention $12 million he won at the casino when he bet $2 million for himself. The American – whom many thought became a nut job - was the underdog on this Haney fight. The ballyhooed fight is expected to earn one million PPV sales.

(Send comments to totomortz@yahoo.com)