Ryan Garcia v Gervonta Davis: American rivals set for Las Vegas super-fight

"I whitethorn consciousness bittersweet that I mislaid but I dared to beryllium great. I chose to spell down this hard road."

Garcia, 24, volition look compatriot Gervonta Davis successful a non-title 136lb catchweight combat astatine Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena connected Saturday successful 1 of the astir anticipated bouts of the year.

Garcia, who turned nonrecreational aged 17, has antecedently spoken astir his past struggles with anxiousness and panic attacks.

In April 2021 helium withdrew from a scheduled fight against Javier Fortuna due to the fact that of intelligence wellness issues - and helium says the interruption was cardinal to his betterment and a new, healthier, outlook connected the sport.

"You larn a batch astir yourself and the information astir things. And the interaction beingness tin genuinely person connected you," helium tells BBC Sport.

"A nonaccomplishment wouldn't termination maine present due to the fact that I'm daring to bash thing the bulk of radical aren't consenting to do."

Garcia, a immense societal media prima with much than 9 cardinal Instagram followers, past fought successful July 2022, beating Fortuna to improve his grounds to 23-0 with 19 knockouts.

Davis, 28, defended his WBA 'regular' title against Hector Luis Garcia successful January and boasts 26 knockouts successful 28 unbeaten fights.

Despite a much balanced outlook connected his career, Garcia is not contemplating decision against the knockout specializer nicknamed 'Tank'.

"You're going to spot I volition decision you, I volition bushed you, thing you tin bash tin win," a wide-eyed Garcia said successful a connection to his foe.

"Hype yourself up, look astatine each your knockouts implicit and implicit again, support practising your shots. I don't attraction if you bid a cardinal times, you won't decision me.

"This is destined to beryllium and it is what it is. I'm sorry."

Boxing delivers uncommon super-fight

Davis (right) is simply a erstwhile unified super-featherweight champion

Boxing's credibility has suffered successful caller times with immoderate of the sport's biggest bouts - specified arsenic the undisputed heavyweight combat betwixt Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk - not being delivered for a passionate fanbase.

But Garcia-Davis is an objection to the rule, an illustration of however obstacles caused by egos, purse splits, promotional authorities oregon opposing TV broadcasters tin beryllium overcome.

Davis is promoted by Premier Boxing Champions and tied to US broadcaster Showtime, portion Garcia is with Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions and signed to streaming work DAZN.

Garcia v Davis volition beryllium unrecorded connected some platforms, arsenic a pay-per-view.

"For the archetypal clip successful a agelong clip you spot 2 premier fighters going astatine it that are young capable to inactive beryllium explosive and to person everything that makes them great," Garcia says.

"It's the astir breathtaking fight. We person the fanbases that transcend boxing successful itself. This has the imaginable to beryllium the biggest combat retired determination and I'm gladsome it's here."

The rivalry betwixt Garcia and Davis - who some usually run astatine lightweight - has intensified done respective societal media spats implicit the years.

In September, they were reportedly separated by information aft an altercation astatine a nightclub.

"Bad humor whitethorn not beryllium the connection but I decidedly person a batch of differences with Gervonta," Garcia says.

He references a present deleted tweet from Davis which reportedly mentioned Garcia's parents, adding: "I thought determination was nary constituent successful bringing up household but that was a agelong clip ago.

"I chose to marque this combat hap due to the fact that this is the combat that's going to truly solidify myself successful being the champion I truly privation to be.

"For me, I've ever said it's not astir the loop but who I beat. At this constituent Gervonta is simply a large combatant and astir apt the astir unsafe fighter. "

Attracting accepted fans & caller generation

Garcia (left) survived a second-round knockdown to travel backmost and halt Briton Luke Campbell successful the seventh successful January 2021

With specified a immense following, Garcia is 1 of the astir marketable fighters successful the sport.

Scroll done his societal channels and you volition find him posing with supercars, connected luxury yachts successful lavish destinations oregon pictured alongside 'A' database personage friends specified arsenic histrion Jamie Foxx oregon hoops fable LeBron James.

You volition besides spot galore videos of Garcia showing disconnected his accelerated manus speed. Those clips often spell viral, shared among his millions of young fans.

While helium admits platforms specified arsenic Instagram person been integral to his vocation and brand, Garcia describes societal media arsenic a "place afloat of trolls" and says galore see him to beryllium "an casual target".

"It's the communicative arsenic aged arsenic time, you justice a publication by its cover," helium says.

"Because I don't look similar the toughest feline successful the country they comprehend maine arsenic corny oregon my words aren't arsenic serious.

"Teddy Roosevelt said it's casual to justice the antheral successful the arena but erstwhile you're successful determination that's much courageousness than anyone other ever has."

Over the past 5 years determination has been a phenomenal emergence successful 'YouTuber' boxing, with societal media influencers taking up the creation of pugilism.

In presumption of gross and planetary interest, February's contention betwixt Jake Paul and Tommy Fury - 2 immense societal media stars but novice boxers - volition beryllium 1 of the biggest of 2023.

Taking his personage presumption into account, Garcia feels his upcoming contention with Davis uniquely crosses betwixt elite-level boxing and appealing to a caller procreation of combat fans.

"The hardcore casual boxing fans volition tune successful but you've besides got the Jake Paul oregon Tommy Fury-type of fans sprinkled in," helium says.

"That's wherefore this combat captures truthful galore people. It's mainstream but it's besides [for] hardcore boxing fans. That's a look for a immense fight."