"He knew I was going through some mental health issues" - Ryan Garcia blames Canelo Alvarez for starting war of words
Ryan Garcia blamed Canelo Alvarez for initiating their recent war of words by calling him undisciplined despite knowing about Garcia's mental health issues.
Garcia and Alvarez have been going back and forth ever since 'KingRy' decided to leave the latter’s team. The 23-year-old claimed he left due to a lack of attention from trainer Eddy Reynoso. But the Mexican superstar defended his trainer and said that Reynoso has all the time in the world for a fighter who shows discipline and dedication.
Garcia took offense at Alvarez’s words, saying that his former teammate could have just talked to him in person instead of going public. In an interview with BigBoyTV, he said:
“He knew I was going through some mental health issues. For some reason, he decided to take a shot at me and said I wasn’t disciplined, which I know I’m not [undisciplined]… I wasn’t not disciplined. In everything I do, I do it disciplined. So when he said that, it was just like ‘C’mon, man. Don’t do that, you could just told me that in person and say I’m not focused.'”
Garcia took a break from boxing after defeating Luke Campbell in January 2021 to work on his mental health. He returned in April this year, beating Emmanuel Tagoe via unanimous decision.
The beef between Garcia and Alvarez flared up when the youngster said the Mexican-born superstar may lose to his arch-rival Gennadiy Golovkin in their September 17 trilogy fight. Garcia’s comment did not sit well with the undisputed super middleweight champion, prompting him to question the younger boxer's accomplishments.
Garcia explained that he was just giving his opinion based on his observation, stating:
“When I said the thing that ‘he could possibly lose to GGG,’ it was an opinion. I don’t care if he wins or he loses. I said to myself, okay he just lost, he looks like his emotions are high. He doesn’t look focused, he’s talking out of character. I’ve never heard Canelo talk like that, so to me, he’s out of focus, and maybe GGG can have the best performance of his career. I feel that way, that’s all that.”
Watch Ryan Garcia’s full interview below:
Ryan Garcia all set for Javier Fortuna fight
Ryan Garcia is all pumped up for his fight against Javier Fortuna this weekend at the Cypto Arena in Los Angeles.
In an Instagram post, he promised his legion of social media fans an addition to his already stacked knockout reel.
Check out Ryan Garcia's post:
Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs) is hoping to sustain his ascent in the talent-laden lightweight division. He is seeking a match against WBA 135 pound champion Gervonta Davis.
Fortuna, meanwhile, is looking to conquer the stacked lightweight division after winning the WBA super featherweight title in 2015.