RYAN Garcia believes he has the speed, power and athleticism to stop Manny Pacquiao if the two-time boxing icon were at his peak.
Garcia made the bold assessment during an appearance on Club Shay Shay podcast, where he was asked about his dream fight against Pacquiao and whether he could beat the Filipino legend at 140 or 147 pounds.
“I would beat him in his prime. I have all the attributes to beat him and if I’m at the top of my game, I’d probably knockout Pacquiao,” Garcia said.
Pacquiao has suffered only a handful of knockout defeats throughout his career, with Juan Manuel Marquez famously stopping him with a sixth-round knockout in their 2012 bout.
Garcia, however, believes his physical attributes would give him an advantage over Marquez.
“Marquez the only one who knocked him out,” Garcia said. “But Marquez wasn’t as quick as me. He doesn’t have the timing as me. He’s not as fast as me.”
Asked whether he hits harder than Marquez, Garcia replied: “I hit way harder than Marquez.”
The American boxer also compared his explosiveness, timing and reflexes to those of former four-division champion Roy Jones Jr., while clarifying that he was not claiming to be on Jones’ level as a fighter.
“My explosiveness and my reflexes and my timing is that reminiscent of like a Roy Jones Jr.,” Garcia said.
Despite his aggressive predictions, Garcia also credited Mike Tyson for helping him develop a more grounded approach to boxing and life.
According to Garcia, Tyson’s biggest lesson was to avoid letting ego take over.
“Don’t hold yourself too highly, man. Just the ego is not your friend. Just make sure you stay grounded. Entertain people, but always stay grounded and humble,” Garcia said.
Garcia also discussed his financial approach, saying his experience in boxing taught him that earning large amounts of money does not guarantee financial security.
“Your lifestyle and the way you spend money will make a rich man broke,” he said, stressing the importance of treating finances like a business and having a trustworthy team. (Adrian Co)
