April 18, 2024 9:50 pm ET
Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia have a lot in typical however could not be more various.
The fighters, who fulfill for Haney’s 140-pound title on DAZN pay-per-view Saturday in Brooklyn, are both 25 and talented. They’re both from California. They both had strong amateur professions, that included 6 battles versus one another. Each of them won 3 times.
And they both have actually ended up being popular expert fighters, with countless dollars in their checking account as proof of that.
Where are they various? Where do we begin?
Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) is a two-division titleholder who has actually climbed up onto pound-for-pound lists after a series of outstanding success over top-tier challengers, consisting of a sensational nothing of Regis Prograis to win his belt in December.
The local of San Francisco has actually achieved success in part due to the fact that of his psychological durability and discipline, which have actually permitted him to make the most of skill. He might end up being No. 1 pound-for-pound one day.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) is at least as fast as Haney– most likely quicker– and he certainly punches more difficult than his competitor, as his knockout portion suggests. He likewise has a couple of substantial triumphes, most significantly knockouts of Luke Campbell and Javier Fortuna.
Unlike Haney, he stopped working the only time he dealt with a pound-for-pound-level challenger. Gervonta Davis stopped him with a body shot in the seventh round.
And, possibly more substantially, Garcia, who has actually acknowledged psychological health problems, appears to be as mentally vulnerable as Haney is steady and hard. Numerous think that weak point will be his undoing when they step through the ropes on Saturday night.
The social networks star acts unpredictably, taking unusual chance ats celebs or declaring to understand who eliminated rap artist Tupac Shakur, to call 2 examples. He likewise published a picture of himself smoking what seemed cannabis just 7 weeks before the battle, which he confessed was an error.
A warning initially increased for me the following day, at a press conference in Los Angeles, where he acknowledged that he’s flawed which it can be challenging for a 25-year-old to deal with fame.
“Sometimes the weight of the world seems like it’s on my shoulders,” he stated.
That certainly holds true however, at the very same time, its a weird remark considered that a lot of fighters attempt to predict strength, not weak point in the lead as much as a battle.
Haney appeared to be genuine when he asked Garcia consistently at the press conference whether Garcia prepared to appear for the battle. Garcia never ever reacted, which was weird.
Is Garcia in difficulty before he enters the ring?
Well, Haney has to do with a 6 1/2 -1 favorite (average of numerous outlets), which is a huge spread offered Garcia’s pedigree. The oddsmakers certainly think Haney’s mix of capability and laser focus will be excessive for a psychologically weak opposition.