“It was a good performance. Big one, actually,” Keyshawn told Ring Champs about Ryan’s win over Barrios.
Garcia’s career has been dogged by continued debate after previously testing positive for a banned substance following his fight with Devin Haney. The episode remains part of the discussion when fighters are asked to face him, and Davis pointed to that cloud when explaining his position.
“He’s got a lot of speculation on his name right now,” Keyshawn said of Ryan
Keyshawn said he takes the issue seriously because he believes he has already experienced something similar within the sport. Fighters entering the ring under different conditions, he suggested, undermine the competition.
“I’m not afraid to talk about it. I fought somebody on steroids, and that joint is not cool,” Davis said.
Keyshawn hasn’t ruled out the fight. He said he would still face Ryan if the circumstances surrounding the fight were handled properly and the stipulations removed any questions about fairness.
When asked directly if he would fight Garcia under those conditions, Davis gave a simple answer.
“Yes,” he said.
Keyshawn has spent much of the past year asking for fights with several recognizable names as he pushes for bigger matches, including a possible move to the 147-pound division. A matchup with Ryan would likely represent the highest profile opponent of his career and put him in a much bigger spotlight.
For the time being, Davis said the fight remains possible, but only if the conditions surrounding it remove the doubts currently hanging over Ryan’s name and ensure the match takes place under the same rules for both fighters.
