I don’t like what I’m learning about Ryan Garcia’s situation.
Last Sunday, the 24-1 champion sparked concern after a video was posted to his account claiming that he had been brutally murdered. Fortunately, Garcia’s father and Garcia both said this was a fake. But earlier this week, the boxer went on Andrew Tate’s show claiming that he was kidnapped and forced to watch “unthinkable things.” Then, Garcia’s social media posts claimed UFOs as real, included offensive statements, and asserted that “a spiritual battle is being fought.”
Garcia is set to face Devin Haney on April 20th, and there are calls for the fight to be postponed, including from boxer-rapper KSI. While promoter Eddie Hearn is among those who has expressed concern, he also believes Garcia is either faking mental illness to get out of the fight or ” just playing crazy to sell it.”
My take is that doing and saying outlandish things is often a call for help. We’ve lost many athletes and entertainers by not intervening, so I think the safe route is to postpone the bout. Reschedule it after Garcia gets the help he needs and medical officials confirm he is fit to fight. Another route is for Garcia to retire from boxing to focus on his mental well-being.
If you or someone you know is struggling, contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
