Victorville's Ryan 'Kingry" Garcia (19-0, 16 KOs) returns Friday night on Valentines Day as he takes on Nicaragua's Francisco Fonseca (25-2-2, 19 KOs) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California live on DAZN. Garcia has promised that 2020 will be his year in which he will become world champion but before that he will have to get passed Fonseca and pursue greater challenges.
"I'm not expecting a quick knockout in this fight but it can happen," Ryan Garcia told SouthernCaliforniaBoxing.com. "2020 is the year to show everyone that I've got the skills and talent to take on bigger challenges. My legacy is what I'm looking forward to now. Lets get the big names now," Garcia added.
In the co-feature that same night former world champion, Venezuela's Jorge Linares (46-5, 28 KO's) will take on the always tough Carlos Morales (19-4-4, 8 KO's).
"I'm really excited to be fighting here at the Honda Center. I know Carlos comes ready and prepared like he always does. I'm ready for this fight," Jorge Linares told SouthernCaliforniaBoxing.com
If both Garcia and Linares come out victorious the two will likely square off in their next fight.
"I cant look ahead to the Linares fight. It's disrespectful to Fonseca because if I look ahead, I might have a bad performance," Garcia explained.
"Friday night he has a tough opponent in front of him. I hope it goes well. If there's a potential showdown. Why not. The main thing is that everything goes well for both of us Friday night," Linares said. "What's important that we both come out with a victory. He has his opponent and I have mine. Saturday we will know what the status is,"
Serving as sparring partners a few years ago both recount their experience sparring each other.
"It was good sparring. I learned a lot from him and who knows we could meet each other down the line," Garcia on sparring with Linares.
"We had the chance to spar together it was interesting. I told him he had talent and I wished him the best. If we get to fight, it will be different than a sparring session," Jorge Linares on sparring Ryan Garcia. "Boxing is a full circle. Some of your young sparring partners can turn out to be your future opponent," Linares added.
Garcia is coming off a quick first round knockout over Romero Duno last November on the Canelo Kovalev co-feature. Following his spectacular knockout, Garcia went on to say at the post fight press conference that he wanted to fight Jorge Linares some time next year.
"I knew I could beat him. I knew he couldn't hit me. I hit him and it felt good. I landed good shots but nothing like before. I hit him and turned off the light switch," Garcia on his last knockout win.
Now the 21 year will look to start the year with a win over Fonseca as a showdown with Jorge Linares is on the horizon. Nothing is guaranteed, Fonseca has been in with Gervonta Davis and Tevin Farmer as this fight for Garcia can serve either as a measuring stick to see where he stands or Fonseca could play spoiler.
"I saw his record and he doesn't have a knockout against a fighter with a winning record. His record is all over the place, I was like this is why Gervonta and Tevin fought him. I get it. That record cant fool me I watched the tapes. His power isn't there to keep me off. I'll be the aggressor this fight," Garcia said about his opponent Fonseca.
Linares must first get passed the always determined Carlos Morales, who gave Ryan Garcia a tough ten rounds back in 2018. Since his fight of the year candidate loss to Vasyl Lomachenko, Linares bounced back with a third round knockout over Abner Cotto. In his next fight, Linares was stopped in the first by Pablo Cesar Cano. The former world champion is coming off a unanimous decision over Al Toyogon.
"I still have a lot left in the tank," Linares said.
No date has been set yet since both still have to come out victorious Friday night. However, it was confirmed to me that Golden Boy Promotions has Staples Center reserved for July as we will likely get a summer showdown between Garcia and Linares. Stay Tuned
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