Is Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia this generation’s Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Oscar De La Hoya? Exploring the comparisons between the two matchups
Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia is one of the marquee boxing matches of early 2024. The two men are on a collision course set for April 20, where they will meet inside the squared circle to finally settle the score of their 3–3 tie from their six bouts in the amateur scene.
In recent years, both Haney and Garcia have drawn comparisons to more legendary boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya, respectively. It is easy to see why. Haney is an undefeated world champion whose case for pound-for-pound greatness grows stronger every day.
Meanwhile, Garcia is a Mexican-American star with a dynamite left hand and an extremely impressive amateur boxing background. But just how close is the matchup to the one between Mayweather and De La Hoya?
Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia as the second coming of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya
There are several parallels between the two matchups. First, like Floyd Mayweather Jr. was and still is, Devin Haney is an undefeated, defensive boxing wizard. Furthermore, like his predecessor, he isn't known for his punching power; instead, he beats his opponents with crisp skill and effortless technique.
Besides that, he also mirrors aspects of Mayweather's grandiose personality. He flaunts his wealth, is a brash trash-talker, and often touts his pay-per-view stardom. More than that, however, he also admires Mayweather, with whom he has associated and even referred to as the Michael Jordan to his Kobe Bryant.
In fact, during his amateur days, Haney idolized him, mapping his career after the Mayweather blueprint. For example, Mayweather fought under his own promotional company and adhered only to co-promotional deals, which Haney has also taken to doing.
Additionally, Haney is also smart and selective about his opponents, which maximizes his earnings come fight night. If that's not from the Mayweather playbook, then nothing is. Lastly, he reigns as a WBC world champion, which Mayweather also did at age 25.
The comparison between Ryan Garcia and Oscar De La Hoya, however, is somewhat different. Both men are Mexican-Americans who carried most of their power inside a left hook that would go on to become their signature punch. They're also known for their highly aggressive, offensive styles.
Though boxing-wise, their similarities end there. De La Hoya was a complete fighter whose offense and defense was never in doubt. He was rarely, if ever, out of position when coming forward. The same cannot be said about Garcia, who has glaring defensive lapses, like dropping his rear hand after every left hook.
In addition, Garcia, with 25 fights under his belt, is yet to capture a non-interim world title, while De La Hoya had already won WBO, WBC, and IBF titles across four divisions by the time he'd had 25 fights. Instead, they are often compared for different reasons.
First, it is because De La Hoya is Garcia's promoter, for better or worse. Second, 'King Ryan' has great appeal among female boxing fans due to many's favorable perception of his physical appearance. This was also very much the case with De La Hoya during his days as an active boxer.
So what of the matchup itself? Haney and Garcia will compete for the WBC super lightweight title. Similarly, Mayweather and De La Hoya also fought for a WBC title. But in their case, it was the WBC super welterweight belt. Furthermore, Mayweather's bout with De La Hoya was preceded by promotional bad blood.
To hype up the fight, Mayweather needled at 'The Golden Boy,' doing everything in his power to unnerve and unsettle him. The trash talk was rampant, which is similar to how heated the pre-fight proceedings have been for the Haney vs. Garcia matchup.
Haney has accused Garcia of being Islamophobic behind his back, which 'King Ryan' disputes. Furthermore, Garcia has promised to retire if Haney knocks him out in round one, while Haney himself has claimed that he will make his foe quit, having seen him knocked out by a body-shot against Gervonta Davis.
However, there are differences. The magnitude of the Mayweather vs. De La Hoya fight was at an entirely different level. Mayweather was a rising star looking to displace the proven pay-per-view draw and declining boxing great in De La Hoya. Haney and Garcia, however, are both in their prime.
Check out the face-off between Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia:
They do not represent a generation different from each other. Instead, theirs is a fight to determine the final score of their 3–3 tie, and for Garcia, an attempt to redeem himself from the Davis loss.