By Norm Frauenheim –
It’s hard to keep track of Ryan Garcia. A fighter, often called one-dimensional within the ropes, is a personality with multiple dimensions outside of them.
From crazy to common sense, there’s no end to Garcia’s many roles. He’s got more of them than he’s had trainers.
One day, funny.
One day, frightening.
Maybe it’s schtick. Maybe, it’s strategy. Maybe, it’s social media.
In a sport built on feints, however, it could just be boxing’s familiar pre-fight plot — a mix of taunts, trash talk and threats.
Psychology-followed-by-a-punch has always been the game’s best combo.
If Garcia can distract Devin Haney with shifting rhetoric before opening bell for their compelling junior-welterweight fight on April 20, maybe he can land that big left hand after it begins.
The latest version of Garcia, perhaps at his mercurial best, showed up Tuesday at a media workout in Dallas, looking and sounding a lot different than the weary and distracted Garcia who appeared at a disturbing news conference in Los Angeles in late February.
Then, Garcia arrived at the newser on a horse. After it was over, there were bets that the horse had a better chance at making it to the ring at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center than Garcia did.
For the next several days, there were dark social-media posts that suggested Garcia needed a clinical psychologist more than a ringside physician.
In one, he’s smoking a joint. In another, he finishes off a bottle of wine, talks about the devil and angrily tells his population of followers that he’s only doing what they do.
Then, it sounded as though the fight within himself was a lot more dangerous than a fight with Haney ever could be.
But on Tuesday we saw a composed, focused Garcia, seemingly ready to fight. He ended opening remarks in a DAZN interview with a pointed message for the favored Haney and his father/trainer, Bill Haney.
“You thought I wasn’t going to make it to the fight,’’ he said. “I bet that you hoped I got pulled out. I bet that you hoped it was some kind of mental-health issue.
“But guess what? I’m right here, I’m right here. I’m going to see you in about a week-and-a-half, and I’m going to knock you the eff out in front of the world.’’
Just another line from an accomplished actor? Or a fighter poised to deliver on a promise in what would be a defining confirmation of evident boxing potential?
Against Haney, Garcia can answer both.
Be both, actor and fighter.
NOTES
-RIP, Gary Shaw: Boxing lost one of its true characters, former regulator and promoter Gary Shaw. He died at 79. He promoted Timothy Bradley, Shane Mosley, Winky Wright and Diego Corrales.
He put together the 2005 classic between Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo, perhaps the best bout in boxing’s modern era.
“I was sad to learn today about the passing of Gary Shaw,’’ Hall of Fame promoter Don King said through a publicist. “Gary’s contributions to the world of boxing were immense, and his passion for the sport was truly inspiring.
“He will be remembered not only for his expertise as a promoter but also for his dedication to the athletes he represented.
“Gary was always a stand-up guy who kept his word, and his spirit will live on. I loved him and we are going to miss him. My thoughts and condolences go out to his family.”
-Oscar Valdez, title favorite: Odds are that Oscar Valdez Jr. will have another belt before spring turns into summer.
The odds are about 5-1, the betting number attached to Emanuel Navarrete’s chances at beating Denys Berinchyk for a vacant World Boxing Organization lightweight title on May 18 in San Diego.
Navarrete, who is pursuing a fourth division title, is expected to relinquish the WBO’s junior-lightweight belt if he wins. Then, the acronym is expected to make Valdez its 130-pound champ. Valdez is coming off an impressive stoppage of Aussie Liam Wilson for an interim 130-pound title March 29 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ.
