He assisted Garcia during his amateur days and most recently in the pros in three fights against Emmanuel Tagoe, Javier Fortuna and Gervonta Davis.
Ryan told the presser that he felt betrayed and heartbroken over Goosen choosing to train a fighter to fight him. Knowing a fighter’s strengths and weaknesses in the ring gives a fighter a competitive edge, choosing Goosen could have been a strategic decision on behalf of Mario’s team.
Although he said otherwise at the presser, “The fact that he was training Ryan Garcia had nothing to do with it. The move to go with Joe was going to happen whether this fight happened or not. My team and I just felt we needed a change to get this last stretch in my career.”
Mario and Goosen seem to have devised an intelligent game plan against Ryan. When asked by members of the media how he plans to neutralize Ryan’s left hook, he said: “Distance is going to be key, timing … just using my physical attributes, (and my) boxing skills.”
Garcia seems to have sought out Barrios, knowing some of his tendencies and abilities. “The one thing we do know about Mario Barrios, he’s a very durable fighter. He’ll come back in the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth rounds, and keep fighting. Even though he might get hurt or this and that. We’ve studied him a lot.”
Mario has been tested and pushed to the limit before in his fights against Keith Thurman and Gervonta Davis. He fought bravely but was finally defeated. Most recently, he fought to a draw against Manny Pacquiao in a close fight that could have been awarded to either fighter.
Garcia knows this is his time to truly demonstrate what he is capable of. All those missed opportunities due to lack of preparation or loss of focus that he had in the past cannot repeat themselves. He cannot afford back-to-back losses.
He has the potential to fight at an elite level; it’s simply if he chooses to perform as expected. He gives the impression that he will perform at his best. Team Barrios is preparing for the best version of Ryan, and Garcia should do the same if he wants to capture his first world title.
