Ryan Garcia and Emmanuel Tagoe Battle for Elite Status

When you look at Ryan “KingRy” Garcia you see all the ingredients of a mega star in the making, just not those of a prizefighter.

Hunched back, slightly tilted nose, missing teeth or slovenly look are not things one can check off the list of Garcia.

Hollywood stardom is more his calling say critics, not world of boxing.

Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs) aims to disprove all those naysayers when he meets Ghana’s Emmanuel Tagoe (32-1, 15 KOs) on Saturday April 9, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. DAZN will stream the stacked Golden Boy Promotions card.

More than 15 months have passed since Garcia traded calculating blows with England’s Luke Campbell at another part of Texas. In that fight he was floored for the first time in his pro career and he immediately got up.

That knockdown could be the spark that leads the Southern California product to the top.

So far Garcia has fought the B+ fighters in the boxing universe where fighters are missing a key element or two such as a knockout punch, speed, endurance, strength, strategy or heart. Some fighters can lack one or two of these elements and still be a world champion. The A class fighters possess almost all these necessary pugilistic ingredients.

Tagoe insists he’s an A class fighter that only needs a chance to prove his talent.

“Nobody wants to fight me,” said Tagoe when he was in Los Angeles. “This is my opportunity to prove myself.”

In Tagoe’s very first pro fight at age 15, he stumbled and lost to another Ghanian fighter, Lante Addy, making his pro debut. After that loss by decision, he’s yet to lose again despite fighting for 18 more years.

“I see this fight as an opportunity for me,” said Tagoe who is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. “Now everybody will know me.”

Millions of people know Garcia on social media platforms, 8 million on Instagram alone. Since fighting professionally in the U.S. the Victorville, Calif. prizefighter with movie star looks has caught the eye of female fans, and his lightning-fast fists caught the eye of male boxing fans.

For various reasons Garcia has been unable to perform in the prize ring since beating Campbell at Dallas, Texas on January 2021. And since that time many changes have taken place including switching boxing trainers and gyms. No longer with Eddy Reynoso at San Diego, a move to Van Nuys, California has Garcia working under the tutelage of famed trainer Joe Goossen.

Anybody involved in the boxing game knows the Goossens. The name signifies boxing royalty, family loyalty and is responsible for bringing some of the best fighters ever seen in Southern California.

Goossen seems almost giddy with restraint.

“I’ve worked with world champions that had far less talent than Ryan,” said Goossen who mentored Diego Corrales, Joel Casamayor, Rafael Ruelas, Gabe Ruelas and Michael Nunn among many others.

Garcia comes from a tight-knit family that was always around boxing since he was a pre-teen. His younger brother Sean Garcia also boxed in the amateurs and his sisters followed both their brothers’ journeys from amateurs to pros. Boxing has been intertwined in their lives for decades.

Since arriving on the professional fight scene the lanky, dimpled fighter has blazed his way to stardom with dazzling highlight film knockouts that needed to be seen in slow-motion to be appreciated.

While training with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez he seemed to learn or acquire more restraint in talking about his foes, but when the time arrives the cloak of silence is ripped off and his words flow freely. It’s almost like being able to finally take a breath after being under water.

“I know he has been saying that facing me will be easy. But I can say one thing, my job is to not make his life easy in that ring. Fans should be ready to see me give this fight everything I got. If he can take a shot, it will be a good fight. If he can’t, he will be out of there very quick,” Garcia said with frankness.

On Saturday both Garcia and Tagoe seek to prove they belong among the A class fighters of the world.

“I can’t wait for Saturday. I’m going to show everyone,” said Tagoe.

“I just love to fight and just be better than the person in front of me,” said Garcia.

It’s the main event on a strong card.

World title Fight

In the co-main event WBA flyweight world titlist Naoko Fujioka fights WBC flyweight world titlist Marlen Esparza in a unification battle that also gives the winner the Ring Magazine championship.

If you know anything about women’s championship fights, they always seem to live up to expectations. The one drawback is that they are two-minute rounds, not three-minute rounds like the men.

Fujioka (19-2-1, 7 Kos) has won world titles in five different weight divisions including wins over Mariana “Barby” Juarez, Yokasta Valle and Shindo Go. She’s long been one of the best female fighters in the world.

“I’m so excited for this fight. It doesn’t matter to me that I’m in her hometown. I wanted to get a bigger name. I am here to represent Japan,” said Fujioka.

Esparza (11-1) has fought since childhood and earned a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics and has proven to be fearless as a professional with wins over Ibeth Zamora and Anabel Ortiz. This fight with Fujioka once again proves that fearlessness.

“I’m going to put on a show, it’s going to be a good night,” said Esparza.

Gabe and Shane

Super middleweights Gabe Rosado (26-14-1, 15 KOs) and Shane Mosley Jr. (17-4, 10 KOs) are set to battle 10 rounds.

Rosado has become a fan favorite with his ability to wreck plans of young contenders with his array of skills and experience.

Mosley, the son of the great “Sugar” Shane Mosley, has risen to contender status with a toughness and grit that his dad possessed. Can he out-tough Rosado?

Photo credit: Tom Hogan / Hogan Photos / Golden Boy Promotions

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