Looking to put 2021 behind him, Ryan Garcia is ready for a productive and positive 2022. The 23-year-old looks to return to action on April 2, the first time he has entered a ring since last January.
Talking with YouTuber Noah BeckGarcia revealed details about his return to boxing. While he didn’t name an opponent, he knows when he wants to fight.
“My career resumes on April 2,” Garcia said, through the boxing scene . “It should be in Los Angeles or Las Vegas, most likely Las Vegas. So, I am looking forward to the announcement of the fight, my opponent and so on.”
Seeking to prove a point, Garcia, who has more than 8.7 million followers on Instagram, recently posted a training video showing off his hand speed and power.
Garcia made his pro debut in 2016. He was immediately hailed as a star and has been given time to progress while with Oscar De La Hoya. In November 2019 and February 2020, Garcia defeated Romero Duno and Francisco Fonseca following two brutal knockouts to win and retain the WBC Silver lightweight title. He passed the first major test of his in January 2021 when he defeated Luke Campbell via technical knockout to win the interim WBC lightweight title.
In April of that year, he was supposed to fight Javier Fortuna. Garcia would take a break from boxing to focus on his mental health. Last November, Garcia was going to fight Joseph Diaz for the interim title which he lost as a result of inactivity. A hand injury required Garcia to undergo surgery, which delayed his progress in the division. Free time and being in the public eye took a toll on Garcia. He is looking to move on with his career, beginning with a return to the ring.
“I was fighting deep inside myself [with mental health issues]Garcia continued. “Anyone who knows boxing knows that if you’re not there 100% mentally, you’re not going to be there 100% physically. You could die in the ring, so I took it very seriously and obviously decided to take that break. I feel great coming back. Like I said, it wasn’t really a comeback for me. I am picking up where I left off. I feel great. I’m going to come back just as strong, powerful, and when those knockouts come, I guarantee everyone will shut up and it will be like nothing happened.”
Garcia later revealed to boxing news which ended up collapsing in front of Canelo Alvarez and Eddy Reynoso before the Fortuna fight. He mentioned how the therapy helped him and that he feels better compared to where he was before. The Victorville, CA native isn’t the only athlete to recently go into detail about his mental health. Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, Kevin Love, MIchael Phelps and Jessie Diggins are just a few of the stars who have opened up to the public regarding his struggles.
Garcia is part of a new class of lightweight fighters that includes Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, George Kambosos Jr. and Gervonta Davis. Training with Canelo and Reynoso, Garcia is eager to get back in the ring. He could be against Fortuna or Isaac Cruz, who Davis recently beat. De La Hoya is expected to make an announcement soon about Garcia’s next opponent.