One of the benefits of training under the tutelage of Eddy Reynoso, is that the gym is often jam-packed with high-quality fighters. Of course, Canelo Alvarez, one of boxing’s biggest stars, has been with Reynoso from the beginning. Frank Sanchez, a rising contender in the heavyweight division, has also spent time working under his guidance.
In 2018, after going through a back-and-forth war against Scott Quigg, one that resulted in a broken jaw, Oscar Valdez decided that it would be in his best interest to enlist the help of the former trainer of the year.
Amongst a long list of names that opted to join his stable, Ryan Garcia also made the move. Although the two would eventually part ways, they ultimately ran roughshod over their competition. Now, after claiming that Reynoso had little to no time for his development, Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) ditched Reynoso and now trains under the watchful eye of Joe Goossen.
Thus far, things have been picture-perfect as the pair have gone undefeated through two fights, including a sixth-round demolition job against Javier Fortuna in July of 2022. With Goossen’s help, Garcia is hoping that a win over Gervonta Davis will be in his immediate future.
While not official, the two are expected to square off on April 15th. Currently, Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) finds himself as the healthy betting favorite. Even amongst his pugilistic contemporaries, the pernicious puncher out of Baltimore, Maryland, is viewed as the more established of the two and the likely winner.
From the viewpoint of Valdez, however, he believes that the rest of the boxing world is being both myopic and flippant towards Garcia and what he brings to the table. Having trained alongside the rising star, Valdez concludes that his good looks and penchant for attracting the wandering eyes of countless women, are overshadowing his overall skills in the ring.
“I got Ryan, I got Ryan,” said Valdez to Fight Hub TV. “I seen him in the gym. He’s not just that pretty boy that everybody thinks he is. He’s legit.”
Still, despite his backing, the pragmatic pick remains Davis. To kick off his 2023, the 28-year-old handed Hector Luis Garcia the first defeat of his career, stopping his man in the eighth round.
Garcia, in the meanwhile, has remained confident in his ability to stand up to Davis’ power enroute to sullying his record. While Valdez is well aware that Davis has the sort of left hand that could leave Garcia down and out, the 32-year-old former champion simply has a gut feeling that his good friend has what it takes to get the job done.
“He’s fast but also, he’s got power in his shots. I can see Tank winning too but I’m leaning towards Ryan.”