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Undefeated “King” Ryan Garcia showed off his vaunted power and hand speed during a media workout from a ring overlooking the picturesque San Fernando Valley in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, vowing to “destroy” Gervonta “Tank” Davis ahead of their clash on Saturday, April 22 headlining live on pay-per-view from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
Garcia has headlined fights across Los Angeles, Dallas and San Antonio, with fans packing the rafters to watch his meteoric rise. He now steps into the biggest fight of his career and a rare matchup of unbeaten superstars in the prime of their careers. The 24-year-old looked at home on Tuesday as he hit the pads in the ring assembled in the backyard of a mansion owned by reality TV personality and businesswoman Adrienne Maloof.
Here is what Garcia had to say Tuesday:
On what this fight means to him:
“This fight means a lot to me. It means everything. It’s a moment that I’ve been envisioning for so long now. It’s the only thing I’ve wanted for so long, to defeat Gervonta Davis and to destroy him. To end everything that he’s ever worked for, because I know he’s trying to do that for me. I’m going to take him out. He’s done. It’s nap time for Gervonta.
“I’m just going to be focused in the ring, no matter if it’s the first round, second round, third round. Any of the rounds, he can go to sleep. He’s going to have to be careful. That’s what I have to tell him. Be careful. I don’t think he is, and he’s going to walk into one. Or I’m just going to go get him. Either way, I’m going to beat him.”
On fight week:
“I’m excited for fight week and I’m going to be even more excited when I’m there. But right now, my thoughts are just, ‘stay focused and do my best during the media workout.’ When I get there, I’m going to love it. Everybody is going to be there. Everybody wanted this fight so I’m expecting good energy and for everybody to be pumped up. Some people are going to think he’s going to win, some people are going to think I’m going to win. I’m just going to win.”
On Media Workout:
“Nobody really trains at these media workouts, so I just thought to make it as cool and as fun as it can be. I know that I’m going to be training at 7 o’clock tonight, so I might as well make a show out of this. Everybody is getting some good food, I’m going to treat the media well and give them the best answers as I can, and that’s it. Make everybody happy.”
On what this fight means for boxing:
“This is a huge fight for boxing. It can really change the trajectory of the sport and inspire young fighters to get it on right now. People are going to love you. They’re going to see that you went out there and you fought the best and you gave it your all. Even if you win or even if you lose, you showed them what a champion is in life. You just get right back up and you don’t let negative people that won’t even dare to do anything keep you down because you know where you’re going in life. To me, this is important to everybody that it takes courage to go after something that nobody believed you could do. That’s why I’m standing here today. To make everybody realize that if you’re in there and chase your dream like you’ve never chased anything before, and you’ll see something special happen.”
On showing the world his greatness:
“This is a fight to show everybody that I’m great. I’m not daring to be great. I know I’m great. I know when I step in the ring, he’s going to feel something he’s never felt before. I’m going to conquer him. Everything he tries to do I’ll have an answer for him. Gervonta Davis is not going to beat me. I promise you.
“He’s going to nap time. Nap time can be with either the right or the left. It doesn’t matter. I think he’s just terrified of the left hook. Once he hears that in his dreams, he just starts shaking in his boots. That’s a trigger word for him. Left hook. He just gets terrified of that.
“I feel like people have lost touch with what boxing truly is about. People used to realize that you see how a champion reacts after he gets hit. That’s how you determine what a champion is. People have lost touch with that. It used to be a proud moment where you showed that you can still stay focused in the fight. You can still get back to controlling it and you can still knock somebody out after you get dropped. That should have been the testimony of how much of a champion I truly am in my heart.
“But we live in a world where people expect you to be perfect and they don’t understand that this is real life. We’re really fighting here. But you respond by getting up and going and doing your thing. You show everybody that you’re great. You don’t let those things tear you down and you keep moving forward. I have to show people that I’m destined for this.”
