Ryan Garcia is feeling confident.
The lightweight “King” is scheduled to face fellow undefeated pugilist Gervonta Davis in a 136-pound headliner on Sat. night (April 22, 2023) on Showtime pay-per-view (PPV) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) expects his fight against Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) to unfold in the same manner as Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo, back when “Notorious” faceplanted “Junior” in the UFC 194 main event in late 2015.
A bold prediction, since McGregor vs. Aldo lasted a mere 13 seconds.
“I always knew that this moment was coming,” Garcia said. “Every fight, I had in the back of my mind, it’s leading up to Gervonta Davis, and that’s why maybe I’m so comfortable at this moment. I truly do feel like I’ve been preparing this for this man for so long. It’s like when Conor McGregor was gonna face Jose Aldo. You just know it. You knew it was coming, and now it’s here, and now it’s gonna end before the blink of an eye. I promise you that.”
The McGregor finish also took place inside a sold-out T-Mobile Arena.
Garcia insists that’s “not by chance” but he’ll definitely have his hands full this weekend in “Sin City.” Davis retained his WBA (regular) lightweight title by defeating Hector Garcia back in January, despite the distractions of his personal drama.
“All he talks about is that one punch,” Davis said during the final press conference. “I only need one too. I touch that jaw and I’m telling you, you’re going to sleep. I’ll probably break your jaw. Don’t forget I’m the most accurate puncher out there. Make sure you’ve been practicing on putting your hands up. All he’s got is that weak hook. That’s all he’s relying on. He’s delusional if he thinks he’s knocking me out. That’s it.”
We’ll find out (one way or the other) tomorrow night in Las Vegas.