Boxing sensation Ryan Garcia has broken his silence about the dramatic implosion that led to his shocking defeat against Rolly Romero, while promising fans he'll return "unstoppable" for his expected bout against Mario Barrios.
The Downward Spiral
The 26-year-old American star admits he entered the Romero fight in terrible condition - physically exhausted, emotionally unstable and mentally absent from the sport. Garcia revealed that a year of self-destructive behaviour left him barely able to train properly and culminated in both jail time and a stay at a mental health facility.
"Motivation wasn't the issue," Garcia told Covers.com. "My body was physically deteriorating from the smallest activities. I couldn't spar properly, I couldn't train effectively - I felt incredibly weak throughout. It created the perfect recipe for disaster where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong."
Garcia confessed that after his controversial fight with Devin Haney - later overturned when he tested positive for trace amounts of Ostarine that he maintains came from contaminated supplements - he embarked on a months-long drinking binge that destroyed his physical conditioning.
Rock Bottom and Recovery
"I was drinking daily without caring about consequences," Garcia admitted. "I felt tremendous anger towards the world - angry at boxing fans, angry at the commission, angry at everyone. I believed I'd been unfairly treated since I never intentionally took steroids or Ostarine. This frustration created a rebellious attitude that ultimately took a severe toll on my body."
The fighter described entering training camp for the Romero bout barely functional. "When preparing for the Rolly fight, I couldn't manage more than two training sessions weekly before experiencing extreme lethargy and weakness. I genuinely sensed something was medically wrong with me."
Garcia's mental state deteriorated further, leading to dramatic consequences. "I ended up in jail after destroying a hotel room," he revealed. "I spent three days in a mental health institution. I wrecked everything in my house. Looking back, it's incredible I'm here today - I absolutely shouldn't have fought given everything I was experiencing."
The Road to Redemption
Garcia insists Romero didn't defeat the "real" version of himself. "Consider that I wasn't even trying, yet he couldn't knock me out," he stated. "I was simply moving around the ring... The fact I wasn't throwing punches and he still couldn't dominate me speaks volumes. He didn't break my spirit, and I intend to reclaim what I lost."
While acknowledging a hand injury affected his performance, Garcia emphasised his overall condition was the primary problem. "My hand has improved significantly now, but the main issue was my mental and physical state - I wasn't truly present in that fight."
Now sober, stable and training daily, Garcia claims he's rebuilt himself fundamentally. "I addressed my gut health issues - I had an undiagnosed bacterial stomach infection. After medication and consistent training, everything began improving dramatically."
He credits his neighbour Jeff with helping pull him from the abyss. "My neighbour would appear at my doorstep daily to take me to the gym," Garcia shared. "Then one day, something clicked. My mind cleared, and I rediscovered my hunger for boxing."
Garcia says he's now in better physical condition and mental clarity than before the Romero fight. "I'm more aggressive, sharper technically... when I visualise future fights now, I see myself winning convincingly."
He's committed to complete sobriety, recognising how alcohol affected him. "My brain works very rapidly - if I have one drink, it turns into a full night out, which costs me three or four recovery days. It sets me back significantly. I've committed to staying completely sober because when I'm at my peak, no opponent should feel safe sharing the ring with me."
In a surprising revelation, Garcia disclosed turning down a massive crossover fight against Jake Paul - an opportunity that instead went to Anthony Joshua, scheduled for December 19 in Miami.
"I received a $20 million (£15m) offer but chose Barrios for less money," he explained. "Fighting Paul made no sense strategically - he weighs 220 pounds. How could I possibly knock out someone that size?"
He didn't completely rule out a future mega-fight, but only if Paul offered the rumoured $70 million (£52m) he's supposedly paying Anthony Joshua. "I'd certainly consider it then - I'd be foolish not to. But sometimes money isn't everything. I live comfortably already. What would more money bring me? A larger house? Additional cars? What real value does that add?"
For now, Garcia remains focused on Barrios and eventually settling the score with Romero. "I'm determined to defeat Barrios, then secure my rematch with Rolly. My plan is to beat Barrios, potentially unify titles, and definitely reclaim what I lost 100 per cent."
