Ryan Garcia on Gervonta Davis: 'You're Not a Bigger Star than Me, Dude; I'll Suck My Ego Up and Say 50-50'
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BY SEAN NAM
Published Mon Feb 14, 2022, 09:23 AM EST
Ryan Garcia believes he has to assume a sense of noblesse oblige in order for Gervonta Davis to fight him.
The 23-year-old Garcia and 27-year-old Davis are two of the most popular fighters in the sport, but efforts to get both in the same ring have been so far unsuccessful. Garcia, who seems to believe that he has the higher Q score than Davis, says ordinarily he should command the bigger slice of the financial pot, but in the interest of getting the potential fight over the negotiating line, he says he would take a haircut on his purse: that means splitting the money equally, 50-50.
“He can make a pay-per-view with someone else, but I guarantee it's not going to do well,” Garcia said of Davis in an interview with Inside Boxing Live. “The only pay-per-view that’s going to do well is him and myself. At the end of the day you have to come up with a great deal that works for both of us.
“And, no, you’re not a bigger star than me, dude. Do not say that. I’m probably more of a star than you, but you won't admit it, so I’ll suck my ego up and say 50-50.”
One thing going against Garcia, despite the buzz he generates on social media, is that he has not appeared on pay-per-view, while Davis has. In fact, the Baltimore native’s last three fights have been on the pay-per-view platform. Davis’ handlers have been vocal about pointing to concrete figures in illustrating their charge’s commercial appeal.
Whatever the Davis camp believes, Garcia insists he is more than willing to forgo many of his usual demands, save for, say, the choice of his gloves.
“To make that fight (Davis) I would definitely, on some stuff, suck it up,” Garcia continued. “Like, s---, okay, we’ll give you that. I won’t be like [Marcos] Maidana and not be using the gloves that I want. He won’t make me do that…That type of stuff, no, he won't get on me.
“50-50. Even though I should probably deserve a little more. I will definitely take 50-50. That’s probably the lowest I’ll take.”
The two fighters were reportedly in discussion, however preliminary it might have been, shortly after Garcia’s knockout win over Campbell; Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) is promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, while Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) is backed by Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions. But, as Garcia himself admitted, Garcia removed himself from those talks in order to pursue what he believed to be a far more lucrative and legacy-enhancing fight against then welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao. Of course, that fight never happened, as Pacquiao went on to face Yordenis Ugas after Errol Spence, his original opponent, bowed out with an eye injury; Ugas wound up beating Pacquiao on points.
Garcia says efforts to re-engage Davis were unsuccessful.
“When I tried to go back to the Tank fight, Tank said, ‘f--- you,’ Garcia said. “Alright, I get it. Like, I wasted some time on you guys.
“They weren’t trying to make a real deal, to be honest. They were just trying to test out the waters, seeing where we’re at, seeing if they could get more on me. They’re supposedly a bigger star – they’re not.”
Garcia, who hails from Victorville, California, has been missing in action for more than a year, citing his mental health and a hand injury. His last time in the ring was a seventh-round stoppage of Luke Campbell at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on Jan 2. Garcia is scheduled to make his ring return on April 9 against Emmanuel Tagoe at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Garcia believes the turnout for his upcoming fight against Tagoe will offer more proof of his drawing power.
“When I fought my fights, I had all COVID capacities. I sold out every COVID capacity,” Garcia said. “We’re going to see when I go to San Antonio how I do at the gate and whatnot. But I know I’m gonna do good. My fans go crazy. I know that I sold every place I could sell out.”
..some ol bullshyt 