RYAN GARCIA believes his fight against anxiety and depression could have ended in a “trainwreck” if he had not seeked help.
America’s 21-0 social media sensation will end a 15-month hiatus on Saturday against Emmanuel Tagoe.
Ryan Garcia returns to boxing on Saturday night
He took the break to save his life when his battle against mental health problems started to look like the first fight he couldn’t win.
Since he climbed off the canvas to stop Luke Campbell in January 2021, Garcia has had professional help and changed from the Eddy Reynoso gym – which he shared with pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez – and teamed up with respected veteran Joe Goossen.
And he confirms that unless he had taken drastic measures to break the vicious circle he was facing, the next stop was a terrifying first loss.
“I couldn’t just keep on forcing myself to just get in the ring, get in the ring if I didn’t feel mentally right outside of the ring,” he said in a brave and emotional interview.
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“I took that time and I feel amazing now, I really feel it helped me stop a trainwreck and that’s what’s important.
“If you’re not there mentally bad things can happen in that ring.”
Before even landing a world title, the lightweight ace with the Hollywood looks and heavyweight hands had incredible fame – in the shape of almost 8million Instagram followers – that added pressure.
“I think a lot of things were in play with what was happening to me,” he said. “I was struggling with anxiety and depression.
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“I don’t know if all that stuff plays a part, the pressure of being a boxer/influencer, but all I know is I noticed a problem and I fixed it.
“It started with counselling. I went to see a therapist, I took the professional approach to it, making sure I got real professional help and then from there I just started understanding what anxiety really is – and depression too.
“I just started talking to people and talking to people really helped me. It helped me understand what I was going through and understand that there’s a way out.
“Hope does a lot for you and it helps you see a light at the end of the tunnel. I slowly but surely got myself out of the hole I was in.”
Goossen – a maverick coach famous for his love of double-denim outfits even in the corner of fights – is now the mentor in charge of Garcia’s career.
And the baby-faced fighter is surprised Anthony Joshua never auditioned the California coach when he toured the US looking for a new trainer, following his September loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
And Garcia confirmed he is out of his fog by enjoying a joke about his new guide’s favourite fashion faux pas
He laughed: “Yeah it was definitely his Canadian tuxedo which really sealed the job for me!
“No, really I have a connection with Joe from the amateurs when I was 17 and he was training me a little bit.
“Joe is an old school guy and I feel like I am an old school soul when it comes to the game. We just have a good chemistry and I think that was why I picked him.
“Joe and AJ probably would have been a great fit. Joe can bring a lot out of you, a lot of grit. He is one of those old school trainers, like Cus D’Amato, just that rough type of person and for me I love that.”
Ryan Garcia is a social media sensation and potential world champion
Garcia’s hopes of a lightweight world title shot are on the backburner after undisputed champ George Kambosos accepted a June 5 clash with his King Ry’s famous 2-2 amateur rival Devin Haney.
That clash has a rematch clause and former four-belt king Vasiliy Lomachenko is first inline for a crack at his old crowns, once the Ukraine legend finishes bravely fighting Russian invaders in his besieged home.
But instead of getting down about the likely delay, Garcia is lining up a thriller with fellow KO artist Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.
He said: “I am happy for the likes of Devin Haney and Kambosos, I am happy that they are getting it on, may the best man win.
“But I am still a major player if they want to make a major fight down the line.
“I think Tank is the most realistic super-fight out there for me because we both have connections to (US fight maker) Al Haymon and we can make something happen for sure.
“We are big stars and we are the most exciting fighters on paper.
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“I don’t look too far ahead because every time I do it doesn’t happen. So now I just shut up and just destroy whoever it is in the ring with me.”
Watch Garcia vs Tagoe on DAZN on April 9.
