Ryan Garcia says he didn't care about his fight with Rolly Romero. The 25-year-old boxer broke his silence this week on social media about his disappointing loss in May.
Garcia had been riding high after a career-best win over Devin Haney. But he took a year off and came back to face Rolando 'Rolly' Romero. The fight didn't go well for Garcia.
"That wasn't me in the ring. I didn't care, I didn't promote it, I didn't even show up mentally. That was an imposter."
Romero knocked Garcia down in the second round and coasted through the rest of the fight. Garcia barely threw any punches.
"I was off balance, I got dropped, but it was wack. Nobody even watched it. The arena was dead."
Critics and fans haven't been kind to Garcia since the loss. They've questioned his hunger for boxing and wondered if he's more of an influencer than a fighter.
Boxing analyst Teddy Atlas said on The Fight podcast: "He looked like someone who didn't want to be there. You can lose, but you can't quit. That's what fans don't forgive."
ESPN's Mark Kriegel added that "Garcia's career feels more like a storyline than a boxing legacy."
Now there's talk of a rematch in December for the WBA welterweight title. Garcia seems fired up about it.
"I'm gonna smack him. This time I'm showing up. This time, y'all are getting the real me."
Garcia's popularity took a hit after the Romero fight. If he loses again, there might not be another chapter to write in his boxing story. He'll need to prove he's more than just talk when he steps back in the ring.
