Ryan Garcia needs no introduction. His social media following is evidence of that. Yet his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, foresees 2020 as a time to prove that Garcia is more than just another virtual celebrity.
Proof is in a word “title”.
De La Hoya hopes to add that complementary piece to Garcia’s resume this year.
“I think he’ll be a world champion by the end of the year,’’ De La Hoya said Monday during a media tour promoting Garcia’s fight against Francisco Fonseca on Feb. 14 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on DAZN. “He’s getting stronger, faster and wiser. For Ryan, we want the best for him.’’
The bout against Fonseca (21-2-2, 19 KOs), of Nicaragua, is seen as step toward a shot at a lightweight title for Garcia (19-0, 16 KOs), who set the stage for a promising New Year with a sensational first-round stoppage of Filipino Romero Duno on Nov. 2 in Las Vegas.
“I feel like this is the first step towards things to come,” said Garcia, who will fight for the fourth time with Canelo Alvarez trainer Eddy Reynoso in his corner. “Now that it’s here, I’m ready to shine at the brightest moment.”