RYAN GARCIA VS.
LUKE CAMPBELL
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO
KNOW ABOUT THE BIG FIGHT
- When: Saturday, Jan. 2
- Start time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event three-plus hours into show)
- Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
- TV: DAZN ($99.99 annually or $19.99 monthly in U.S.)
- Division: Lightweight
- Rounds: 12
- At stake: WBC “interim” title
- Odds: Garcia 3-1 (BetMGM)
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RYAN GARCIA BIO
- Record: 20-0 (17 KOs)
- Current titles: None
- Other titles: None
- Home country: United States (Los Angeles)
- Age: 22
- Pro debut: 2016
- Pro rounds: 60
- Height: 5 feet, 10 inches (178 cm)
- Reach: 70 inches (178 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Trainer: Eddy Reynoso
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LUKE CAMPBELL BIO
- Record: 20-3 (16 KOs)
- Current titles: None
- Other titles: None
- Home country: England (Hull)
- Age: 33
- Pro debut: 2013
- Pro rounds: 142
- Height: 5 feet, 9 inches (175 cm)
- Reach: 71 inches (180 cm)
- Stance: Southpaw
- Trainer: Shane McGuigan
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WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH
Ryan Garcia is already must-see TV (or streaming). The Los Angeles fighter reminds many of his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya: gifted, well-schooled, powerful, good looking, charismatic. Those traits might account for his 7.8 million followers on Instagram. The interesting thing is that he has reached this level of popularity without beating a top-tier opponent. That’s where Campbell comes in. The 2012 Olympic champion has failed in two attempts to win a world title but is seen as a legitimate test for Garcia, which adds further intrigue to the matchup.
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FIVE KEY QUESTIONS
How good is Ryan Garcia? We don’t know. He seems to be good, with natural gifts, good schooling and one-punch knockout power. Fifteen of his 17 KOs have come within four rounds. However, he must prove he can beat next-level opposition.
How good is Luke Campbell? Campbell has the Olympic pedigree and God-given gifts. The problem is that he has lost his biggest fights as a professional. We simply don’t know whether he has a big victory in him.
Can Garcia hurt Campbell? We’ll see. The Briton has been down four times but he has never been stopped as a professional. Garcia has incapacitated one opponent after another. Something will have to give on Jan. 2.
Is this Garcia’s coming out party? Maybe. He has done everything he can against second-tier opposition, winning consistently in dominating fashion. If he can do the same against a fighter of Campbell’s ability, he will have arrived.
Does the winner get an immediate shot a legitimate world title? Not likely. Teofimo Lopez owns all four major belts, meaning everything goes through him. The Garcia-Campbell winner is an attractive opponent but Lopez has several good options.
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WHY GARCIA WILL WIN
Campbell isn’t the only one with a solid amateur pedigree. Garcia reportedly finished his unpaid career with a record of 215-15. He knows how to box. And he’s the more gifted of the two fighters, quicker, more athletic, definitely more powerful. His early knockouts can be attributed in part to his level of opposition — solid, not elite — but his ability to hurt opponents is authentic. The Angeleno has yet to defeat an opponent at Campbell’s level but he seems to have all the tools necessary to do so. And he seems to have unwavering belief in himself, as if he knows he will accomplish big things. That sort of confidence can help turn expectations into reality.
WHY CAMPBELL WILL WIN
Campbell has that superb amateur foundation, which makes him a threat to anyone. He, too, can box. And he has the experience that Garcia lacks, which is a significant advantage. He lost his two biggest fights — title bouts against Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko — but he gave a good account of himself both times and undoubtedly learned from his mistakes. And remember: He had lost his father shortly before the Linares fight yet still almost won. And there’s no shame in losing to Lomachenko. Finally, Campbell is tough. Again, he’s been down but has always gotten up. Bottom line: He has the ability, the seasoning and the durability to beat Garcia.
PREDICTION
Campbell will demonstrate early in the fight that he isn’t like Garcia’s previous opponents. His jab and intelligent movement will force his less-experienced foe to make adjustments, which won’t be easy. However, Garcia will eventually impose his will on Campbell, using his own ring acumen and quickness to set up hard, accurate shots to turn the fight in his favor and wear Campbell down. The Briton will go down at least once but he will get up and hear the final bell. In the end, Garcia will have landed more punches and the cleaner shots, which will impress all three of the judges.
Garcia by UD
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ALSO ON THE CARD
- Felix Alvarado vs. DeeJay Kriel, junior flyweights (for Alvarado’s title)
- Rene Alvarado vs. Roger Gutierrez, junior lightweights
- Franchon Crews Dezurn vs. Ashleigh Curry, super middleweights
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