Ryan Garcia’s pre-fight antics have left many feeling uncomfortable, including talkSPORT boxing pundit Adam Catterall.
Ahead of his blockbuster fight against Devin Haney, Garcia has certainly made an impression with his recent antics.
On Friday, the 25-year-old appeared to be completely out of control as he turned up for the ceremonial weigh-ins, having already missed weight and thus losing his chance at fighting for the WBC super-lightweight world title.
The fight will still go ahead live on talkSPORT on Saturday night but as a non-title bout while boxing fans have grown worried for Garcia after a bizarre showing on Friday where he appeared to chug a beer (which was actually apple juice and sparkling water), shouted at the crowd and started praying on stage.
That includes talkSPORT pundit Catterall, who believes the build-up has been a catastrophe for boxing.
“It has been one of the most difficult, uncomfortable watch-alongs I’ve seen in the build-up to a fight,” he told Carlton Cole on Friday night.
“When the fight was made, I was all in. Because these two guys in this weight division, Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia, seem to be guys that are chasing the big fights.
“Devin Haney, consumate professional. Leave him to one side because he is just going to be Devin Haney.
“But watching Ryan Garcia over the last six to seven weeks has been really uncomfortable as a Ryan Garcia fan. Not only has he been saying things that you think to yourself ‘blooming heck, that’s a little out of character’.
“He is incredibly erratic, he is all over the place, not giving off the best signs and the biggest tell of them all has been today.
“Ryan Garcia, who has fought at 135 pounds previously, has come in overweight at 143.2 pounds. This is his first attempt at a world title, Ryan Garcia.
“Because he has missed weight, the title’s not available for him. He can’t fight for the title. It has been an absolute calamity from start to finish.”
As well as making a scene at the weigh-ins, Garcia has also made several bizarre posts on social media, even celebrating his missing weight.
Meanwhile, Haney said: “He’s very unprofessional. I told him yesterday his antics would betray him and this is just the start.”
News Summary:
- ‘Absolute calamity’ – Ryan Garcia antics leave talkSPORT host feeling uncomfortable
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