Ryan Garcia is the New Show in Town
Los Angeles (March 21, 2018)- You either hated or loved the big kid on the playground . He was faster than everyone, talked slicker than everyone, and all the girls loved him. Ryan Garcia is the big kid on the playground.
Charisma is the difference between a very popular fighter and a star. Presence that creates a gravitational pull toward its center is the hallmark of a star. Oscar De La Hoya had it. Floyd Mayweather had it. Manny Pacquiao had it. Muhammad Ali had it. Regardless of skill, the desire to just be a part of what those stars were doing on a daily basis was a tribute to the raw charismatic nature of their personalities. They were the big kids on the playground.
“I want to fight Gervontae Davis, I don’t know why. I just do.” Ryan Garcia told boxing writer and personality Steve Kim during a media workout last week. A fighter with only 13 fights calling out a world champion generally gets laughed at. An eyebrow raise from the interviewer at first, but then later a reality sets in that this is far too early for that kind of malarkey.
But not for Ryan Garcia.
The confidence with which he made that statement solidified the head nodding and smiling from the circle of camcorder holding boxing media. They believed him, they wanted to be a part of what he is doing because lets face it. Ryan Garcia is the cool kid at school and doing what the cool kid does make you cool right?
Ryan Garcia Talking to the media during an open workout. Photo Lina Baker
With attention come the haters.
“I’m aware that everything I say will be talked about and everyone will have an opinion”. Garcia knows you’re watching. “its an opinion, say what you want. if you don’t like me, then you don’t like me. That’s cool. But if you do like me. Then I love you.” Garcia said, flashing a smile that grows with compounding interest.
It’s easy to bad talk your haters with slanderous retorts, but turning supporters and reporters into salivating cultists. That takes charisma.
With an army of 563,000 followers on Instagram and hundreds of thousands more on Twitter and various other social media platforms. “King” Ryan Garcia is ruling the boxing social scene and communicating to an audience that hasn’t been spoken to since Oscar De La Hoya turned 30.
Teenage girls love Garcia and profess their love and desires to produce his offspring daily. They will force parents to buy tickets to his fights and buy his clothing. Sporting giant Adidas just signed a sponsorship deal with the budding star, a sign that eyes with heavy pockets are aware of the magnetic power of Garcia’s handsome smile.
A decade from now 20 something year old women will proudly profess that they were boxing fans since they were in high school, and their significant others will talk about how they loved boxing but hated Ryan Garcia.
The Kid Can Fight
I first met Garcia in October of 2016 in the dressing room at the Sportsmans Lodge in Studio City. It was his second fight in the U.S. and the sixth of his career. It was also his sixth of seven fights in 2016. Turning pro at seventeen with no fanfare, Garcia fought his first four fights in Tijuana Mexico.
As I filmed Alberto Fundora in the back of the Sportsmans Lodge, a barely 18 year old Ryan Garcia said with a confident smile. “Don’t miss my fight, I promise you don’t want to miss me knock this guy out” as he warmed up in the same room as his opponent. After two rounds his opponent just quit on his stool.
Ryan Garcia Makes Mario Aguirre Quit on his Stool After Two Rounds. Photo: Lina Baker
Since that night at the Sportsmans Lodge, Garcia has knocked out all of his opponents. Golden Boy promotions announced his signing shortly after, and have featured him strategically on major undercards and televised appearances on ESPN before the company icon Canelo Alvarez’s high profile pay-per view events.
Garcia now moves into the realm of contender. Headlining his own card at the Fantasy Springs Casino this weekend on ESPN will demonstrate his ability to draw butts in seats and eyes on screens.
Whether you watch him to see him lose or to hope he wins. Garcia has the ball .
And none of the other kids can catch him on the playground.
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