Oscar De La Hoya on Ryan Garcia: “We’ll definitely pick a top-5, top-10 guy (next).”
Oscar De La Hoya acknowledged that Ryan Garcia’s performance on Saturday wasn’t perfect but he was pleased nonetheless.
The Hall of Fame fighter-turned-promoter gave Garcia “a B, B+” for his unanimous-decision victory over reluctant Emmanuel Tagoe on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio given Garcia’s 15-month layoff, the result of mental health concerns and a recent hand injury.
Garcia also was fighting for the first time with new trainer Joe Goossen in his corner.
“Considering the layoff, the broken hand, the mental struggle he was going through … I’m glad he got the experience he needed. It was a difficult fight. I give him a B, B+,” De La Hoya told Boxing Junkie.
Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs) has many of the qualities necessary to become a superstar but his punching power might stand out, particularly after he stopped Luke Campbell with a single body shot in his previous fight.
That’s why some people might’ve been disappointed that he couldn’t find a way to take out Tagoe, a good, experienced boxer who fought in survival mode.
De La Hoya wasn’t among them, although he agreed with Garcia’s assessment that he could’ve done a better job of cutting off the ring.
“Not at all,” he said. “I’m glad he was able to go 12 rounds. The most important thing is that he held up perfectly. The hand didn’t bother him, mentally he was in the fight. He was ready. You can imagine being so young (23) and going through the issues he faced and then getting 15,000 people to see you fight.
“… There was a lot of pressure and he handled it excellently. He could’ve cracked at any moment but he didn’t.”
De La Hoya said that Goossen also was happy with Garcia’s performance.
“Joe was very pleased,” he said. “He was telling me that he wanted Ryan to, first of all, get through the fight because you just didn’t know how he was going to react after a 15-month layoff. He said, “Now we can really go to work, really get to know each other.’
“Now Joe is going to press on the accelerator and push Ryan to his limits.”
Against whom?
One name that continually comes up is Gervonta Davis, the gifted lightweight contender. De La Hoya likes the idea of pursuing that matchup for Garcia … but not in his next fight.
Garcia, who went on to lose a decision to Devin Haney in December, is ranked No. 6 by the WBC and No. 9 by the WBA.
“We’re going back to the drawing board,” De La Hoya said. “We’ll definitely pick a top-5, top-10 guy before we take on Davis. Jo Jo Diaz is definitely on the list.”
The bottom line for De La Hoya: Whatever path Garcia takes, it will lead to great things.
“The sky’s the limit,” he said. “… He’s learning every single day. He has a true professional with Joe Goossen, who has been there and done that. The fact that he’s tall (5-foot-10) … he can fight in multiple weight divisions. I can see him being a four-[division] champion. The sky’s the limit.”
Oscar De La Hoya on Ryan Garcia: “We’ll definitely pick a top-5, top-10 guy (next).”
Oscar De La Hoya acknowledged that Ryan Garcia’s performance on Saturday wasn’t perfect but he was pleased nonetheless.
The Hall of Fame fighter-turned-promoter gave Garcia “a B, B+” for his unanimous-decision victory over reluctant Emmanuel Tagoe on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio given Garcia’s 15-month layoff, the result of mental health concerns and a recent hand injury.
Garcia also was fighting for the first time with new trainer Joe Goossen in his corner.
“Considering the layoff, the broken hand, the mental struggle he was going through … I’m glad he got the experience he needed. It was a difficult fight. I give him a B, B+,” De La Hoya told Boxing Junkie.
Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs) has many of the qualities necessary to become a superstar but his punching power might stand out, particularly after he stopped Luke Campbell with a single body shot in his previous fight.
That’s why some people might’ve been disappointed that he couldn’t find a way to take out Tagoe, a good, experienced boxer who fought in survival mode.
De La Hoya wasn’t among them, although he agreed with Garcia’s assessment that he could’ve done a better job of cutting off the ring.
“Not at all,” he said. “I’m glad he was able to go 12 rounds. The most important thing is that he held up perfectly. The hand didn’t bother him, mentally he was in the fight. He was ready. You can imagine being so young (23) and going through the issues he faced and then getting 15,000 people to see you fight.
“… There was a lot of pressure and he handled it excellently. He could’ve cracked at any moment but he didn’t.”
De La Hoya said that Goossen also was happy with Garcia’s performance.
“Joe was very pleased,” he said. “He was telling me that he wanted Ryan to, first of all, get through the fight because you just didn’t know how he was going to react after a 15-month layoff. He said, “Now we can really go to work, really get to know each other.’
“Now Joe is going to press on the accelerator and push Ryan to his limits.”
Against whom?
One name that continually comes up is Gervonta Davis, the gifted lightweight contender. De La Hoya likes the idea of pursuing that matchup for Garcia … but not in his next fight.
Garcia, who went on to lose a decision to Devin Haney in December, is ranked No. 6 by the WBC and No. 9 by the WBA.
“We’re going back to the drawing board,” De La Hoya said. “We’ll definitely pick a top-5, top-10 guy before we take on Davis. Jo Jo Diaz is definitely on the list.”
The bottom line for De La Hoya: Whatever path Garcia takes, it will lead to great things.
“The sky’s the limit,” he said. “… He’s learning every single day. He has a true professional with Joe Goossen, who has been there and done that. The fact that he’s tall (5-foot-10) … he can fight in multiple weight divisions. I can see him being a four-[division] champion. The sky’s the limit.”
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD The biggest winner on a busy Saturday was Gennadiy Golovkin. The best performance was turned in by Sebastian Fundora. And Ryan Garcia did about all he could against a reluctant opponent. Golovkin’s …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
The biggest winner on a busy Saturday was Gennadiy Golovkin. The best performance was turned in by Sebastian Fundora. And Ryan Garcia did about all he could against a reluctant opponent.
Golovkin’s speed and reflexes probably aren’t what they were in his youth but he didn’t perform against Ryota Murata like a man who had just turned 40. He took some heavy punches early in the fight – hasn’t he always? – but he absorbed them and methodically broke down his opponent, finally stopping him in the ninth round to unify two middleweight titles in Japan.
The power is still there, which makes him a threat to any 160-pounder and perhaps even bigger men.
I never understood how Murata rose to prominence because of his limitations but he’s a solid fighter who is unusually strong both physically and mentally. Triple-G deserves credit for the victory.
The big question now: Can he compete with a prime Canelo Alvarez?
Golovkin’s victory sets up a third fight with his rival in September, assuming nothing unforeseen happens in Alvarez’s May 7 fight against Dmitry Bivol to prevent the showdown. No deal is in place but both sides want it.
I would never pick a 40-year-old to beat a prime Alvarez but Golovkin demonstrated enough against Murata to indicate that he can still give the Mexican star problems, maybe even push him as hard as he did in the first two fights.
One concern is Golovkin’s apparent vulnerability to the body. Murata hurt him more than once with well placed shots to the midsection, drawing a whence at least one time. Alvarez is one of the most-effective body punchers in the world.
On the positive side for Golovkin might be weight. The fight almost certainly would take place above 160 pounds, which would make it easier on Triple-G during camp. We’d have to see whether he can carry his power to super middleweight but he probably would feel stronger, which would be a plus.
Bottom line for me: Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) deserved a third, lucrative shot at Alvarez even before he fought Murata in light of the controversial outcomes in 2017 and 2018. He then gave a strong performance at 40, after a 16-month layoff and in his opponent’s backyard.
He has earned the superfight.
GOOD (CONT.)
I have to acknowledge that I was among those who thought at one time that the 6-foot-6 Fundora was more of a novelty than a genuine title contender. He was too big of a target, too skinny. I was convinced that his body would break under pressure.
Well, not only has his body held up, he’s the one that has been doing the breaking. We saw that again against Erickson Lubin in a Fight of the Year candidate in Las Vegas.
Fundora (19-0-1, 13 KOs) did what he typically does, which is to drown his opponent in a wave of never-ending power shots. The talented Lubin had many good moments – including one in which he forced Fundora to take a knee – but he couldn’t avoid the onslaught with any consistency.
And we saw the end result, Lubin’s disfigured face and inability to fight back in the ninth and final round. Trainer Kevin Cunningham’s decision to stop the fight was mercifully appropriate.
Fundora’s ability to walk through fire to overwhelm good opponents with his inhuman work rate (706 punches thrown in nine rounds in this fight, according to CompuBox) and sheer determination is awesome in the literal sense of the word. He simply buried Lubin, a former amateur star who had entered the fight on a hot streak.
Fundora said afterward that it was the finest performance of his career. I concur with that. It was a defining victory given the respect Lubin had going into the fight, one that will be remembered even Fundora never wins a major title.
Of course, the opportunity to fight for a title is around the corner. Fundora is now the WBC’s mandatory challenger, leaving him and Tim Tszyu at the head of the line to fight the winner of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano rematch for the undisputed championship or for a vacant title if the winner vacates.
I won’t predict that Fundora would beat Charlo, who I favor against Castano, but I’ll never underestimate him again.
BAD
The only thing bad about Garcia’s performance against Emmanuel Tagoe in San Antonio is that he failed to deliver a knockout. And is that really bad?
A good, experienced boxer who is more concerned about getting hurt than he is about winning the fight is extremely difficult to knock out, which is what we saw in the fight at The Alamodome.
As it was, Garcia put Tagoe down once, hurt him badly in late in the fight and won by a near-shutout decision in the 12-round bout. Two judges gave Tagoe one round while third gave him two. I gave the Ghanaian none.
And remember: Garcia was returning from a long layoff (as was Tagoe) and fighting for the first time with a new coach, Joe Goossen. It takes time to get back into a groove and get accustomed to an unfamiliar cornerman.
I thought Garcia could’ve jabbed more than he did, which might’ve led to more damaging power shots. I thought he could’ve thrown more combinations. And he admitted afterward that he could’ve done a better job of cutting off the ring, which he attributed to a lack of experience against a runner.
Still, all in all, I thought it was a solid comeback performance. He dominated the fight, which is the main objective.
I can’t imagine he’ll want to waste time fighting another Emmanuel Tagoe. One potential opponent for later this year is Joseph Diaz Jr., who was critical of Garcia’s performance on the DAZN broadcast Saturday.
I like that matchup for Garcia, who probably needs one more transition fight with Goossen before he takes on the biggest dogs at 135 pounds, gifted fighters like Gervonta Davis, George Kambosos, Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko.
I think Garcia would beat Diaz. And he might end up as the cream of the 135-pound crop. Just give him time.
WORSE
Emmanuel Tagoe (left) was reluctant to engage with Ryan Garcia. Golden Boy Promotions
I’ll always admire men and women with the courage to step through the ropes and do hand-to-hand battle with an opponent intent on hurting them. No other sport requires the same degree of mettle.
That’s why I don’t understand when a fighter behaves as Tagoe did in his fight with Garcia.
Tagoe talked a good game leading up to the fight, exuding confidence that he would shock the world. “I know what I’m capable of doing,” he said. And then he fought as if he were terrified, which deprived him of a chance to win the fight, Garcia a chance to truly show what he can do and the fans a chance to see a competitive battle.
I thought of Manny Pacquiao’s fight against Joshua Clottey in 2010 at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas. The boxing world was abuzz over Pacquiao, who was at the peak of his abilities at the time. Everyone was primed for another great performance from the Filipino star.
What did Clottey do? He covered his face and essentially refused to fight, which resulted in a near-shutout decision for Pacquiao and a lot of disappointed fans.
I get why Clottey and Tagoe were afraid. They undoubtedly realized early on that they were out of their depths, that Pacquiao and Garcia were too quick, too powerful, just too good to overcome. So they shifted into survival mode.
I would ask them: Is that why you’re in boxing? To survive?
I can see a fighter shutting down after they realize somewhere in the middle of the fight that they have no hope, although even then it’s difficult to stomach. Clottey and Tagoe shut down before the opening bell, which makes me think that it was all about the money for them.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Tony Harrison (29-3-1, 21 KOs) is back. The former 154-pound titleholder, coming off a knockout loss in his rematch with Charlo and then a draw with Bryant Perrella not long after the death of his father-trainer Ali Salaam, outclassed Sergio Garcia (33-2, 14 KOs) to win a wide decision in a 10-round bout on the Fundora-Lubin card and re-establish himself as a legitimate contender. Garcia was the aggressor but Harrison countered beautifully and consistently beat Garcia to the punch to win easily. Dad would’ve been proud. … Perrella (17-3-2, 14 KOs) and Kevin Salgado (14-0-1, 9 KOs) fought to a draw on the Fundora-Lubin card. Bad decision, in my opinion. The only effective weapon in the uneventful fight was Perrella’s stiff jab, which he landed consistently. That’s the main reason I gave Perrella seven of the 10 rounds. Somehow one judge scored it for Salgado, who did almost nothing. And another had it 95-95. I don’t get it. I’ll add this, though: Perrella can’t rely on his jab to win fights. He needs to pick up his overall work rate. That same can be said for Salgado. …
I have to admit that I didn’t think early in the career of Shane Mosley Jr. (18-4, 10 KOs) that he would amount to much. He has proved me wrong. The son of the Hall of Famer by the same name recorded the biggest victory of his career on the Garcia-Tagoe card, defeating veteran Gabriel Rosado (26-15-1, 15 KOs) by a majority decision that should’ve been unanimous. That was his first fight since he lost a majority decision to Jason Quigley, which might be a sign of inconsistency. I don’t know whether Mosley is good enough to win a world title but he has a lot of ability, maybe enough to challenge for a major belt. Rosado is now 5-10-1 (with one no-contest) in his last 17 fights yet is still getting high-profile opportunities. That speaks to his fighting spirit, which has never waned. … Mikaela Mayer (17-0, 5 KOs) outclassed veteran Jennifer Han (18-5-1, 1 KO) en route to a one-sided decision to retain her two junior lightweight belts Saturday in Costa Mesa, California. Mayer has said her first priority is to unify more titles at 130 pounds. I’d rather see her move up to 135 and face the winner of the April 30 Amanda Serrano–Katie Taylor for the undisputed lightweight championship. The best versus the best. …
Kudos to Naoko Fujioka (19-3-1, 7 KOs) on her Bernard Hopkins-esque performance in a flyweight title-unification bout against Marlen Esparza (12-1, 1 KO) on the Garcia-Tagoe card. Fujioka fought Esparza on roughly even terms even though the Japanese fighter is 46 years old, a testament to her fitness and ability. The judges gave Esparza a wide decision (100-90, 100-90 and 97-93) but it was closer than that. Fujioka is a marvel.
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD The biggest winner on a busy Saturday was Gennadiy Golovkin. The best performance was turned in by Sebastian Fundora. And Ryan Garcia did about all he could against a reluctant opponent. Golovkin’s …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
The biggest winner on a busy Saturday was Gennadiy Golovkin. The best performance was turned in by Sebastian Fundora. And Ryan Garcia did about all he could against a reluctant opponent.
Golovkin’s speed and reflexes probably aren’t what they were in his youth but he didn’t perform against Ryota Murata like a man who had just turned 40. He took some heavy punches early in the fight – hasn’t he always? – but he absorbed them and methodically broke down his opponent, finally stopping him in the ninth round to unify two middleweight titles in Japan.
The power is still there, which makes him a threat to any 160-pounder and perhaps even bigger men.
I never understood how Murata rose to prominence because of his limitations but he’s a solid fighter who is unusually strong both physically and mentally. Triple-G deserves credit for the victory.
The big question now: Can he compete with a prime Canelo Alvarez?
Golovkin’s victory sets up a third fight with his rival in September, assuming nothing unforeseen happens in Alvarez’s May 7 fight against Dmitry Bivol to prevent the showdown. No deal is in place but both sides want it.
I would never pick a 40-year-old to beat a prime Alvarez but Golovkin demonstrated enough against Murata to indicate that he can still give the Mexican star problems, maybe even push him as hard as he did in the first two fights.
One concern is Golovkin’s apparent vulnerability to the body. Murata hurt him more than once with well placed shots to the midsection, drawing a whence at least one time. Alvarez is one of the most-effective body punchers in the world.
On the positive side for Golovkin might be weight. The fight almost certainly would take place above 160 pounds, which would make it easier on Triple-G during camp. We’d have to see whether he can carry his power to super middleweight but he probably would feel stronger, which would be a plus.
Bottom line for me: Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) deserved a third, lucrative shot at Alvarez even before he fought Murata in light of the controversial outcomes in 2017 and 2018. He then gave a strong performance at 40, after a 16-month layoff and in his opponent’s backyard.
He has earned the superfight.
GOOD (CONT.)
I have to acknowledge that I was among those who thought at one time that the 6-foot-6 Fundora was more of a novelty than a genuine title contender. He was too big of a target, too skinny. I was convinced that his body would break under pressure.
Well, not only has his body held up, he’s the one that has been doing the breaking. We saw that again against Erickson Lubin in a Fight of the Year candidate in Las Vegas.
Fundora (19-0-1, 13 KOs) did what he typically does, which is to drown his opponent in a wave of never-ending power shots. The talented Lubin had many good moments – including one in which he forced Fundora to take a knee – but he couldn’t avoid the onslaught with any consistency.
And we saw the end result, Lubin’s disfigured face and inability to fight back in the ninth and final round. Trainer Kevin Cunningham’s decision to stop the fight was mercifully appropriate.
Fundora’s ability to walk through fire to overwhelm good opponents with his inhuman work rate (706 punches thrown in nine rounds in this fight, according to CompuBox) and sheer determination is awesome in the literal sense of the word. He simply buried Lubin, a former amateur star who had entered the fight on a hot streak.
Fundora said afterward that it was the finest performance of his career. I concur with that. It was a defining victory given the respect Lubin had going into the fight, one that will be remembered even Fundora never wins a major title.
Of course, the opportunity to fight for a title is around the corner. Fundora is now the WBC’s mandatory challenger, leaving him and Tim Tszyu at the head of the line to fight the winner of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano rematch for the undisputed championship or for a vacant title if the winner vacates.
I won’t predict that Fundora would beat Charlo, who I favor against Castano, but I’ll never underestimate him again.
BAD
The only thing bad about Garcia’s performance against Emmanuel Tagoe in San Antonio is that he failed to deliver a knockout. And is that really bad?
A good, experienced boxer who is more concerned about getting hurt than he is about winning the fight is extremely difficult to knock out, which is what we saw in the fight at The Alamodome.
As it was, Garcia put Tagoe down once, hurt him badly in late in the fight and won by a near-shutout decision in the 12-round bout. Two judges gave Tagoe one round while third gave him two. I gave the Ghanaian none.
And remember: Garcia was returning from a long layoff (as was Tagoe) and fighting for the first time with a new coach, Joe Goossen. It takes time to get back into a groove and get accustomed to an unfamiliar cornerman.
I thought Garcia could’ve jabbed more than he did, which might’ve led to more damaging power shots. I thought he could’ve thrown more combinations. And he admitted afterward that he could’ve done a better job of cutting off the ring, which he attributed to a lack of experience against a runner.
Still, all in all, I thought it was a solid comeback performance. He dominated the fight, which is the main objective.
I can’t imagine he’ll want to waste time fighting another Emmanuel Tagoe. One potential opponent for later this year is Joseph Diaz Jr., who was critical of Garcia’s performance on the DAZN broadcast Saturday.
I like that matchup for Garcia, who probably needs one more transition fight with Goossen before he takes on the biggest dogs at 135 pounds, gifted fighters like Gervonta Davis, George Kambosos, Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko.
I think Garcia would beat Diaz. And he might end up as the cream of the 135-pound crop. Just give him time.
WORSE
Emmanuel Tagoe (left) was reluctant to engage with Ryan Garcia. Golden Boy Promotions
I’ll always admire men and women with the courage to step through the ropes and do hand-to-hand battle with an opponent intent on hurting them. No other sport requires the same degree of mettle.
That’s why I don’t understand when a fighter behaves as Tagoe did in his fight with Garcia.
Tagoe talked a good game leading up to the fight, exuding confidence that he would shock the world. “I know what I’m capable of doing,” he said. And then he fought as if he were terrified, which deprived him of a chance to win the fight, Garcia a chance to truly show what he can do and the fans a chance to see a competitive battle.
I thought of Manny Pacquiao’s fight against Joshua Clottey in 2010 at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas. The boxing world was abuzz over Pacquiao, who was at the peak of his abilities at the time. Everyone was primed for another great performance from the Filipino star.
What did Clottey do? He covered his face and essentially refused to fight, which resulted in a near-shutout decision for Pacquiao and a lot of disappointed fans.
I get why Clottey and Tagoe were afraid. They undoubtedly realized early on that they were out of their depths, that Pacquiao and Garcia were too quick, too powerful, just too good to overcome. So they shifted into survival mode.
I would ask them: Is that why you’re in boxing? To survive?
I can see a fighter shutting down after they realize somewhere in the middle of the fight that they have no hope, although even then it’s difficult to stomach. Clottey and Tagoe shut down before the opening bell, which makes me think that it was all about the money for them.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Tony Harrison (29-3-1, 21 KOs) is back. The former 154-pound titleholder, coming off a knockout loss in his rematch with Charlo and then a draw with Bryant Perrella not long after the death of his father-trainer Ali Salaam, outclassed Sergio Garcia (33-2, 14 KOs) to win a wide decision in a 10-round bout on the Fundora-Lubin card and re-establish himself as a legitimate contender. Garcia was the aggressor but Harrison countered beautifully and consistently beat Garcia to the punch to win easily. Dad would’ve been proud. … Perrella (17-3-2, 14 KOs) and Kevin Salgado (14-0-1, 9 KOs) fought to a draw on the Fundora-Lubin card. Bad decision, in my opinion. The only effective weapon in the uneventful fight was Perrella’s stiff jab, which he landed consistently. That’s the main reason I gave Perrella seven of the 10 rounds. Somehow one judge scored it for Salgado, who did almost nothing. And another had it 95-95. I don’t get it. I’ll add this, though: Perrella can’t rely on his jab to win fights. He needs to pick up his overall work rate. That same can be said for Salgado. …
I have to admit that I didn’t think early in the career of Shane Mosley Jr. (18-4, 10 KOs) that he would amount to much. He has proved me wrong. The son of the Hall of Famer by the same name recorded the biggest victory of his career on the Garcia-Tagoe card, defeating veteran Gabriel Rosado (26-15-1, 15 KOs) by a majority decision that should’ve been unanimous. That was his first fight since he lost a majority decision to Jason Quigley, which might be a sign of inconsistency. I don’t know whether Mosley is good enough to win a world title but he has a lot of ability, maybe enough to challenge for a major belt. Rosado is now 5-10-1 (with one no-contest) in his last 17 fights yet is still getting high-profile opportunities. That speaks to his fighting spirit, which has never waned. … Mikaela Mayer (17-0, 5 KOs) outclassed veteran Jennifer Han (18-5-1, 1 KO) en route to a one-sided decision to retain her two junior lightweight belts Saturday in Costa Mesa, California. Mayer has said her first priority is to unify more titles at 130 pounds. I’d rather see her move up to 135 and face the winner of the April 30 Amanda Serrano–Katie Taylor for the undisputed lightweight championship. The best versus the best. …
Kudos to Naoko Fujioka (19-3-1, 7 KOs) on her Bernard Hopkins-esque performance in a flyweight title-unification bout against Marlen Esparza (12-1, 1 KO) on the Garcia-Tagoe card. Fujioka fought Esparza on roughly even terms even though the Japanese fighter is 46 years old, a testament to her fitness and ability. The judges gave Esparza a wide decision (100-90, 100-90 and 97-93) but it was closer than that. Fujioka is a marvel.
Ryan Garcia outclassed, but failed to stop reluctant Emmanuel Tagoe in his comeback fight Saturday in San Antonio.
Ryan Garcia didn’t get a knockout in his comeback fight against Emmanuel Tagoe on Saturday in San Antonio, as many expected. Otherwise, he couldn’t have been much more dominating.
Garcia put Tagoe down in the second round and outclassed the Ghanaian from beginning to end to win a wide decision and underscore his position as a top lightweight contender in his first fight in 15 months.
Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs) had last fought in January of last year, when he got up from a knockdown to stop Luke Campbell in seven rounds. He soon took time off to tend to his mental health.
He returned to the ring with renewed determination and a new trainer in his corner, Joe Goossen. And he hoped to make a good impression in front of a partisan crowd at the Alamodome.
However, Tagoe (32-2, 15 KOs) made that difficult by emphasizing survival more than putting himself in a position to win the fight. He ran, Garcia chased.
Garcia provided the first dramatic moment about midway through the second round, when a right hand put Tagoe down. However, he got up and did what it took to avoid taking another big shot.
Most of the rest of the fight followed the same pattern, Garcia marching after Tagoe, landing power shots consistently but not doing enough to end the fight.
Tagoe, finding some courage, began to stand his ground more late in the fight. That allowed him to land a effective punches here and there. It also almost led to disaster, as Garcia hurt him badly with a right hand in Round 10.
Again, Tagoe, an intelligent boxer, held and used his feet to survive the round and ultimately hear the final bell.
The official scores were 119-108, 119-108 and 118-109. Boxing Junkie scored it 120-107, a shutout for Garcia.
“He was moving a lot,” Garcia said. “I’m not going to lie; that was a new experience. I have to cut off the ring better against a guy who just keeps moving all 12 rounds. … I think if I started pressing him harder in the beginning of the fight, I would’ve gotten him out of there.
“What can I say? It was hard to track him down.”
Of course, with the victory, Garcia, one of the biggest attractions in the sport, is back in the thick of the 135-pound title hunt.
He was asked afterward whether he believes he’s ready to face a prospective opponent like Gervonta Davis but, evidently taking a more measured approach to selling himself, didn’t bite at the chance to talk some trash.
“In the past, I’m always with the call-outs,” said the 23-year-old. “I’ve grown, I’ve matured. I’ll let my team handle it. … When it’s on, it’s on. Right now I trust my team.”
Ryan Garcia outclassed, but failed to stop reluctant Emmanuel Tagoe in his comeback fight Saturday in San Antonio.
Ryan Garcia didn’t get a knockout in his comeback fight against Emmanuel Tagoe on Saturday in San Antonio, as many expected. Otherwise, he couldn’t have been much more dominating.
Garcia put Tagoe down in the second round and outclassed the Ghanaian from beginning to end to win a wide decision and underscore his position as a top lightweight contender in his first fight in 15 months.
Garcia (22-0, 18 KOs) had last fought in January of last year, when he got up from a knockdown to stop Luke Campbell in seven rounds. He soon took time off to tend to his mental health.
He returned to the ring with renewed determination and a new trainer in his corner, Joe Goossen. And he hoped to make a good impression in front of a partisan crowd at the Alamodome.
However, Tagoe (32-2, 15 KOs) made that difficult by emphasizing survival more than putting himself in a position to win the fight. He ran, Garcia chased.
Garcia provided the first dramatic moment about midway through the second round, when a right hand put Tagoe down. However, he got up and did what it took to avoid taking another big shot.
Most of the rest of the fight followed the same pattern, Garcia marching after Tagoe, landing power shots consistently but not doing enough to end the fight.
Tagoe, finding some courage, began to stand his ground more late in the fight. That allowed him to land a effective punches here and there. It also almost led to disaster, as Garcia hurt him badly with a right hand in Round 10.
Again, Tagoe, an intelligent boxer, held and used his feet to survive the round and ultimately hear the final bell.
The official scores were 119-108, 119-108 and 118-109. Boxing Junkie scored it 120-107, a shutout for Garcia.
“He was moving a lot,” Garcia said. “I’m not going to lie; that was a new experience. I have to cut off the ring better against a guy who just keeps moving all 12 rounds. … I think if I started pressing him harder in the beginning of the fight, I would’ve gotten him out of there.
“What can I say? It was hard to track him down.”
Of course, with the victory, Garcia, one of the biggest attractions in the sport, is back in the thick of the 135-pound title hunt.
He was asked afterward whether he believes he’s ready to face a prospective opponent like Gervonta Davis but, evidently taking a more measured approach to selling himself, didn’t bite at the chance to talk some trash.
“In the past, I’m always with the call-outs,” said the 23-year-old. “I’ve grown, I’ve matured. I’ll let my team handle it. … When it’s on, it’s on. Right now I trust my team.”
Ryan Garcia and Emmanuel Tagoe get into a verbal altercation at open workouts to promote their fight on Saturday.
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted at DAZN.com.
SAN ANTONIO — Ryan Garcia and Emmanuel Tagoe don’t fight until Saturday at the Alamodome. But if Wednesday was any indication, we should expect fireworks.
At open workouts Wednesday, Tagoe was in the ring waiting for Garcia to come into the ring for a stare down. Not only did they go face-to-face, the fighters nearly came to blows.
Garcia looked as if he would walk away when he and Tagoe kept jawing at one another. Someone was trying to simmer things down, but the 23-year-old was having none of it.
“What you going to do?” Garcia shouted at Tagoe. “We can do it right now. You ain’t going to do s—. Look at you, look at you.”
It was hard to hear what Tagoe was saying to Garcia, who continued the verbal assault.
“Keep talking that,” Garcia continued. “What are you going to do right now? It’s about to be game over. I promise you that.”
More people went into the ring as Garcia and Tagoe tried to go at one another. Luckily, cooler heads prevailed even though the crowd wanted to see a fight. Garcia walked to the corner, threw up his right fist and shouted out, “Let’s go.”
Earlier in the week, Tagoe told DAZN that he felt Garcia was afraid of him. In Tagoe’s opinion, that’s why Garcia initially didn’t want to fight last January and instead chose to face Luke Campbell, who he stopped via seventh-round TKO.
“Ryan knows he’s scared of me for a long time,” Tagoe told DAZN. “I don’t know the reason why [Garcia didn’t fight me]. I’ll fight Ryan Garcia. He didn’t fight with me. He fight with Luke Campbell. After that, he sit down a year time before he decides to fight me.
“I think Ryan doesn’t have a chance and doesn’t bring anything to the table for me. I think he’s scared of me. That’s why he chose Luke Campbell.”
Ryan Garcia and Emmanuel Tagoe get into a verbal altercation at open workouts to promote their fight on Saturday.
Editor’s note: This article was originally posted at DAZN.com.
SAN ANTONIO — Ryan Garcia and Emmanuel Tagoe don’t fight until Saturday at the Alamodome. But if Wednesday was any indication, we should expect fireworks.
At open workouts Wednesday, Tagoe was in the ring waiting for Garcia to come into the ring for a stare down. Not only did they go face-to-face, the fighters nearly came to blows.
Garcia looked as if he would walk away when he and Tagoe kept jawing at one another. Someone was trying to simmer things down, but the 23-year-old was having none of it.
“What you going to do?” Garcia shouted at Tagoe. “We can do it right now. You ain’t going to do s—. Look at you, look at you.”
It was hard to hear what Tagoe was saying to Garcia, who continued the verbal assault.
“Keep talking that,” Garcia continued. “What are you going to do right now? It’s about to be game over. I promise you that.”
More people went into the ring as Garcia and Tagoe tried to go at one another. Luckily, cooler heads prevailed even though the crowd wanted to see a fight. Garcia walked to the corner, threw up his right fist and shouted out, “Let’s go.”
Earlier in the week, Tagoe told DAZN that he felt Garcia was afraid of him. In Tagoe’s opinion, that’s why Garcia initially didn’t want to fight last January and instead chose to face Luke Campbell, who he stopped via seventh-round TKO.
“Ryan knows he’s scared of me for a long time,” Tagoe told DAZN. “I don’t know the reason why [Garcia didn’t fight me]. I’ll fight Ryan Garcia. He didn’t fight with me. He fight with Luke Campbell. After that, he sit down a year time before he decides to fight me.
“I think Ryan doesn’t have a chance and doesn’t bring anything to the table for me. I think he’s scared of me. That’s why he chose Luke Campbell.”
Odds: Garcia 11½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Marlen Esparza vs. Naoko Fujioka, flyweights (for Esparza’s WBC and Fujioka’s WBA titles: Gabriel Rosado vs. Shane Mosley Jr., super middleweights; George Rincon vs. Alejandro Frias, junior welterweights
Prediction: Garcia KO 5
Background: The gifted, hard-punching Garcia is coming off his most sensational performance, one in which he got up from a knockdown to stop former Olympic champion Luke Campbell with a single body shot in the seventh round 15 months ago. He then teased potential fights against some of the biggest names in the sport only to take time off to tend to his mental health. Assuming he wins on Saturday – and he’s a significant favorite – one of the sport’s brightest young stars will be in a strong position to face undisputed champion George Kambosos or one of the other top lightweights next. He left trainer Eddy Reynoso and joined forces with Joe Goossen during his hiatus. Tagoe is a solid, experienced opponent. The Ghanaian lost his pro debut but has won every fight since, including a majority decision over Mason Menard in November 2020. That was his most-recent fight, meaning he will have been inactive a few months longer than Garcia. This will be the native of Accra’s third fight in the United States.
Odds: Garcia 11½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Marlen Esparza vs. Naoko Fujioka, flyweights (for Esparza’s WBC and Fujioka’s WBA titles: Gabriel Rosado vs. Shane Mosley Jr., super middleweights; George Rincon vs. Alejandro Frias, junior welterweights
Prediction: Garcia KO 5
Background: The gifted, hard-punching Garcia is coming off his most sensational performance, one in which he got up from a knockdown to stop former Olympic champion Luke Campbell with a single body shot in the seventh round 15 months ago. He then teased potential fights against some of the biggest names in the sport only to take time off to tend to his mental health. Assuming he wins on Saturday – and he’s a significant favorite – one of the sport’s brightest young stars will be in a strong position to face undisputed champion George Kambosos or one of the other top lightweights next. He left trainer Eddy Reynoso and joined forces with Joe Goossen during his hiatus. Tagoe is a solid, experienced opponent. The Ghanaian lost his pro debut but has won every fight since, including a majority decision over Mason Menard in November 2020. That was his most-recent fight, meaning he will have been inactive a few months longer than Garcia. This will be the native of Accra’s third fight in the United States.
