In the lead-up to their highly anticipated pay-per-view showdown on April 20 at Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, New York, junior welterweight titleholder Devin Haney took a swing at his opponent, Ryan Garcia, during a Tuesday news conference.
Using the tried-and-true tactic of pre-fight mind games, Haney aimed to rattle Garcia by branding him a "quitter." The jab referenced Garcia's inability to rise from a body shot delivered by Gervonta Davis in April of the previous year.
“We seen Ryan quit before,” remarked Haney confidently. “And on April 20 it won’t be no different.”
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) faced a tough moment in the ring when he took a punishing left hook to the body from Gervonta Davis, a formidable pound-for-pound puncher, in the seventh round. The blow visibly hurt Garcia, leading him to go down to his right knee in pain and resulting in a knockout.
Responding to Haney's accusation, Garcia addressed the issue in an interview with DAZN after the news conference. He highlighted the physical toll of moving down from 140 pounds to a catch weight of 136 and emphasized the impact of the liver shot, which can paralyze a fighter.
“It’s just stupid,” Garcia countered. “Don’t talk like that. … Get in the ring and show me you could do better than.”
Garcia, who rebounded from the Davis loss with an eight-round victory over Oscar Duarte in December, expressed frustration at Haney's comments, challenging him to back up his words inside the ring.
Haney (31-0, 15 KOs), coming off a dominant victory at 140 pounds against Regis Prograis, remains one of the hottest fighters globally. As the verbal sparring intensifies, fight fans can expect an explosive clash between these two talented junior welterweights at Barclay's Center.