Ryan Garcia: The Ultimate Underdog
It was a tense moment at the weigh-in for the highly anticipated fight between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney. Garcia, known for his flashy style and impressive record, missed weight by 3.2 lbs. But instead of letting it get to him, Garcia remained upbeat and confident, shrugging off the weight miss as if it were nothing.
But for Garcia, it was more than just a simple mistake. He had made a $500K per pound bet with Haney, who had weaseled his way into a bigger purse for the fight. And now, Garcia would have to surrender a painful $1.5 million of his hard-earned purse.
But for Garcia, the title and the money were not the most important things. In his eyes, belts don’t feed your family. And he’s right. In this era of boxing, titles have become meaningless. What truly matters is selling tickets, having an entertaining fighting style, and attracting a huge social media following. And Garcia checks all the boxes.
On the other hand, Haney, the current WBC light welterweight champion, falls short in all of these categories. He may hold the title, but it holds little value in the eyes of the fans. His last fight against Regis Prograis only drew a measly 50K PPV buys, and he had to give away complimentary tickets because the venue didn’t sell out.
But for Garcia, this fight is about more than just titles and money. It’s about proving himself as the ultimate underdog. Despite giving up $1.5 million, Garcia remains confident that he will come out on top. In fact, he sees the weight miss as an advantage, stating that “winners do what they have to do.” And with his back gaining muscle from carrying the promotional weight, Garcia is ready to leave with Haney’s head.
But even with the added drama of the weight miss, this fight still holds meaning. If Garcia wins, his financial stock will rise, and the $1.5 million he surrendered will be just a small price to pay. And if he wins, he will have his pick of opponents and make even more money. On the other hand, if Haney loses, his career will take a major hit, and he will have to start over.
But in the end, the WBC belt is just a useless strap that means nothing. It only holds value if it’s held by a popular fighter, and Haney falls short in that aspect. So while the title may be on the line, it’s not what truly matters in this fight. It’s about proving himself as the ultimate underdog and solidifying his place as one of the most popular and entertaining fighters in the sport.
Kosport Magazine’s Take
Despite the weight miss, Ryan Garcia remains the ultimate underdog in this highly anticipated fight against Devin Haney. While the WBC title may be on the line, it holds little value in today’s boxing world. What truly matters is selling tickets, having an entertaining fighting style, and attracting a huge social media following. And Garcia checks all the boxes, making him the real winner in this matchup. So while the drama of the weight miss adds to the excitement, it’s not what truly matters. It’s about proving himself as the ultimate underdog and solidifying his place as one of the most popular and entertaining fighters in the sport. And that’s something that no title can ever take away from him.
