Ryan Garcia Isn’t ‘Desperate’ To Fight Gervonta Davis, But Is Hungry To Show Why He’s ‘That Much Better’
Ryan Garcia has made it clear who he wants next – assuming he’ll get past Javier Fortuna on July 16.
But the 23-year-old said he’s done with trash talking Gervonta “Tank” Davis, and he’s just ready to get into the ring with the WBA “regular” lightweight champion.
“It’s not that I want to fight him so bad. It’s not like I’m desperate to fight him,” Garcia told FIGHT SPORTS during Wednesday’s virtual press conference.
“I’m hungry to show the world that I’m the best fighter in the division. I feel like he’s the best fighter other than myself in the division.
“With speed, power, accuracy, and IQ, I think he’s up there, but I’m that much better that I’m going to separate myself, and I’m going to make it look very easy when I’m in the ring with him.
“I’m going to show people I’m more than meets the eye and that I’m a much better fighter than you may perceive it as. When you’re in the ring with me, you feel it right away, so I want to show Gervonta Davis that personally, too.
“I think he’s very confident that he can beat me, so I want him to show me why. I’m done with the talking and ready to handle him in the ring.
“If he doesn’t do it, we can see he didn’t want it. I’m really in a good place where I want to destroy him and take my spot as the face of boxing. I think that whoever wins that fight will become the face of boxing after that.”
Garcia has been calling Davis out for a fight, especially after the new undisputed division champion Devin Haney defeated George Kambosos Jr in a lopsided decision on June 5.
“You Watching this stuff?? When We fight don’t let it be like this!!!” Garcia tweeted at the time.
@Gervontaa You Watching this stuff?? When We fight don’t let it be like this!!!
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) June 5, 2022
Davis responded minutes later: “Shut the f— up!”
“Oh yeah you say shut the f–k up but you were screaming I’m next. You should want this fight, don’t trip your disrespect will be addressed!! Promise you that B—” Garcia responded.
Oh yeah you say shut the f*k up but you were screaming I’m next. You should want this fight, don’t trip your disrespect will be addressed!! Promise you that B**** https://t.co/G10IoD6Het
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) June 5, 2022
Davis recently knocked out challenger Rolando Romero on May 28 at the Barclay’s Center. Romero has previously said that he’s getting a rematch with Davis, but the champion said after the fight that he doesn’t deserve it.
Garcia, meanwhile, is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision win against Emmanuel Tagoe from April. That was the first time he went all 12 rounds in his career.
On Wednesday, the former interim WBC lightweight champion said the fight made him adjust his game a little.
“There’s little things that I’ve been able to construct in my mind and then evaluate and then have a solution for when training. So now, I feel even more comfortable in a 12-round fight,” Garcia said.
“And I’ll be able to show you what I’ve learned and what I’ve been working on based on that.”
One of the things Garcia has over Fortuna is speed, he added.
Garcia, who is a heavy favorite heading into the fight, will meet Fortuna – a former WBA regular super featherweight and WBA interim featherweight champion – in the main event at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.