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As Ryan Garcia gears up for his highly anticipated bout against Devin Haney on April 20 at Madison Square Garden, the young boxer is already contemplating his future in the ring.
Despite some distractions and criticisms regarding his behavior leading up to the fight, Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) remains focused on the task at hand: facing Haney (31-0-1, 15 KOs) for the WBC world super lightweight title.
In a recent interview, Garcia expressed his openness to facing Isaac Cruz in the future. Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) recently made headlines with a stunning eighth-round stoppage victory over Rolando Romero to claim the WBA world title. After his victory, Cruz mentioned Garcia as a potential opponent.
Promoter Oscar De La Hoya had previously considered Cruz as an opponent for Garcia, but negotiations with Haney and Romero took precedence. Once Premier Boxing Champions confirmed Cruz as Romero's opponent, Garcia signed on to face Haney.
Garcia believes that Cruz's aggressive fighting style aligns well with his strengths. Drawing comparisons to his previous opponent, Oscar Duarte, Garcia expressed confidence in his ability to defeat Cruz within five rounds.
"It's my favorite style of all time," Garcia stated. "I can't count how many times I've sparred against someone like Cruz. They can deny it all they want, but Duarte and Cruz have a very similar style."
Looking ahead, Garcia sees Cruz as a smaller but potentially more formidable challenge than Duarte. With his sights set on victory, Garcia is prepared to face Cruz's aggressive approach head-on.