Undefeated lightweight Ryan Garcia (18-0, 15 KOs) of Victorville, California returns to the ring Saturday, September 14 as he will be taking on Philadelphia's Avery Sparrow (10-1, 3 KOs) at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California live on DAZN in the co feature headlined Jaime Munguia vs. Patrick Allotey. Fightnews.com caught up with Garcia at the Golden Boy Promotions Headquarters.
"Out of the three fights I was offered I knew Avery was the hardest. You will see a lot more from me," Ryan Garcia told SouthernCaliforniaBoxing.com. "Avery is very fast and that's what I'm going to have to train for," Garcia added.
This will be Garcia's third camp under trainer Eddie Reynoso as the duo prepares in San Diego. Reynoso is famously known as Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez trainer. Other champions trained under Reynoso includes former world champion Oscar "Chololo" Larios and currently trains undefeated super featherweight Oscar Valdez.
"I'm going to bring my all and train like it's my last, upping my speed and power," Garcia on training camp. "I know that my experience and my training will help me win this fight," Garcia added.
So far Garcia is 2-0, 2 KO's since hooking up with Reynoso. A fifth round knockout over Braulio Rodriguez in his Madison Square Garden debut and his last fight.
"Eddie really wants me to get better because he really believes in me," Garcia added.
Garcia is coming off a second round stoppage over Jose Lopez last March at Fantasy Springs. Following that fight Garcia went on to call out a few major player.
“I ain’t intimidated by Mayweather; nobody can intimidate me,” Garcia said in his post fight interview.
Prior to his last fight Garcia had been going back-and-forth on social media with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his super-featherweight world champion Gervonta Davis about a potential match-up. Floyd offered Garcia $200k to fight Mayweather Promotions fighter Rolando Romero and if he'd get pass Romero he would grant Garcia a title shot vs. Davis. Garcia was also seen hanging out and partying with Floyd earlier this year at his birthday bash.
In wake of the challenges issued to Garcia, Golden Boy Promotions filed cease-and-desist letter to Mayweather for tampering in attempt to sign or lure Garcia into Mayweather's stable. Since then Garcia has been spotted at various PBC events including Gervonta Davis's fights and was in attendance for the Pacquiao Thurman fight.
"I just need to work hard and stay humble get the fights that I need to have," Garcia said.
The drama continued a few weeks ago with Garcia as he went on to social media stating that he needed a better promotion and headline his own card. It was mentioned that Garcia wanted to headline his own card in November and refused to take on hard hitting Filipino Romero Duno.
"It was never about that. Jaime is a good guy. It's about the facts of the matter. I know I'm well known around the nation but everyone knows who I am. I'm not trying to bring anyone down," Garcia stated. "I wanted to take the hardest fight I got offered and that was Avery.
With all that said, Garcia now focuses his attention to his Philadelphia counterpart, Avery Sparrow. The Philadelphia fighter comes into this fight with a majority decision over former world title challenger Hank Lundy. His only loss came via disqualification in his fifth fight. One thing Sparrow and Garcia have in common is that they have both fought and defeated Jose Lopez.
"He's a fast and undefeated counter puncher. He's smart," Garcia said about Avery. "Avery is not the easiest but he is not going to be able to last, if he does it's going to be good," Garcia promised.
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