Embattled welterweight Ryan Garcia has called out Terrence Crawford for being overhyped and having faced very little top-quality opposition in the ring.
Despite Crawford’s earned status as a four-division world champion, Garcia isn’t ready to accord him the respect he would seem to deserve. Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) believes Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) – who currently holds the WBA junior middleweight title – has faced only one credible opponent in his career.
“Terence Crawford really hasn’t beat anybody other than Errol Spence, [who] went through a car crash,” Garcia said in an interview with Say Cheese TV, referring to Spence’ serious December 2022 auto accident. “Name one guy he beat other than Spence that’s well known. Crawford ain’t like that. He’s an overhyped bum.”
Garcia, 26, of Victorville, California, is currently serving a one-year ban for testing positive for Ostarine – a performance-enhancing drug – from his overturned unanimous decision victory over Devin Haney last April. The New York Athletic Commission subsequently changed the fight results to a no-contest and are forcing Garcia to wait until April 2025 to return to the ring.
Garcia’s only career loss came in April 2023 against hard-hitting Gervonta “Tank” Davis. On his return, Garcia knocked out Oscar Duarte Jurado in eight rounds on Dec. 2 before taking on Haney four months later.
But his behavior around the Haney fight, and ever since, has led some to question his mental health and the guidance he’s receiving from his team.
With Garcia weighing up possible options for his return, he’s willing to take on Crawford to prove a point. Meanwhile, Crawford was recently crowned WBA 154-pound belt holder after his decision win over Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov last month.
Prior to winning a title at junior middleweight, Crawford became a unified titlist at junior welterweight and welterweight, respectively. Despite all those achievements, Garcia described Crawford as boring and lacking entertainment value.
“You fucking suck, bro,” he said. “You wasting everybody’s money, you not entertaining, you’re boring as fuck! Come see me in the ring if you think I’m talking shit!”
Bernard Neequaye is a sports journalist with a specialty in boxing coverage. He wrote a boxing column titled “From The Ringside” in his native Ghana for years. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) at @BernardNeequaye, LinkedIn at Bernard Neequaye and through email at bernardneequaye@gmail.com.