Ryan Garcia has scolded both of his own promoters, Bernard Hopkins and Oscar de La Hoya, ahead of his fight vs. Oscar Duarte, before the Golden Boy questioned his fighter’s ‘state of mind’ in a now-deleted tweet.
The 25-year-old, one-time lightweight champion, who has a complicated relationship with De La Hoya is well-documented, ripped into Hopkins, Thursday, at his pre-fight press conference, letting him know that he’s not the one who gets to decide when it’s time for him to hang his gloves.
Garcia (23-1, 19 KOs), who spoke right after Hopkins, said: ‘One thing that has been on my heart is the statements that Bernard has made where he’ll decide if I’m going to finish or if I should continue after this fight. He don’t decide that.
‘My coach [Derrick James] and my team do. Everybody that grinds with me, day in and day out, are the ones who decide. Ultimately, God decides, not him.’
Garcia, who took a 15-month hiatus from boxing citing mental health issues after his victorious lightweight championship fight against Luke Campbell, three years ago, threw more shade at Hopkins saying, ‘nobody told him when to stop boxing’, as he compared his career to his promoter’s.
Ryan Garcia (left) and Oscar Duarte (right) will face off in Houston, Texas, on Saturday night
Oscar De La Hoya, Garcia’s promoter, made some awkward facial reactions while his fighter spoke
‘He stopped boxing at 45. So kudos to him, but he don’t determine that,’ said the Mexican-American boxer. ‘He also said that he calls out the bulls*** and the lies…
‘The last time I checked, he [Hopkins] said he’d never lost to a white boy, and then Joe Smith knocked him out of the ring. The last time I checked, Joe Smith Jr. was white. So they be lying.’
Garcia is coming off a seventh round knockout loss to Gervonta Davis last April, and desperately needs a win against Duarte (26-1-1, 21 KOs).
In the past, he voiced feelings of De La Hoya wanting him to lose and see his career dwindle by picking specific opponents, like his fight against Romero Duno 2019. But, Garcia knocked out his opponent in the first round, boasting about how he ruined De La Hoya’s plans of seeing him be defeated.
‘I come to show what I bring, and I’m laser-focused,’ he said on Wednesday. ‘That’s where this confidence comes from. Thank God for everything.
Garcia’s last fight was a seventh round knockout to Gervonta Davis, right, in April in Las Vegas
‘.. Another thing I want to touch on is Oscar [De La Hoya] saying that we misinterpret what they said,’ he added, referring to both his coaching and management teams.
‘It’s plain English. I didn’t hear anybody speak any language I don’t know. It’s very clear to me that they’re backing this guy [Oscar Duarte] to beat me, just like they thought [Romero] Duno was going to beat me. He was the next Filipino star. They’re saying he’s [Duarte] the next Mexican star.
In a since-deleted tweet, De La Hoya, nicknamed The Golden Boy, said he’s worried about his fighter’s mindset, two days before Garcia’s return to the octagon. The fight will be at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
‘I have to say that I’m really concerned about Ryan Garcias state of mind,’ shared De La Hoya, 50.
‘Considering his history of mental instability (which he’s documented himself) his current erratic behavior shows he’s clearly not focused on Saturdays fight. You won’t take my calls, Ryan I hope you’re ok.’
