Protecting an undefeated record can be sacred to a fighter, but for American star Ryan Garcia there is more to life than losing a bout.
Garcia, 24, will face compatriot Gervonta Davis in a non-title 136lb catchweight fight at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Saturday in one of the most anticipated bouts of the year.
Garcia, who turned professional aged 17, has previously spoken about his past struggles with anxiety and panic attacks.
In April 2021 he withdrew from a scheduled fightagainst Javier Fortuna because of mental health issues – and he says the break was fundamental to his recovery and a new, healthier, outlook on the sport.
“You learn a lot about yourself and the truth about things. And the impact life can truly have on you,” he tells BBC Sport.
“A loss wouldn’t kill me now because I’m daring to do something the majority of people aren’t willing to do.”
Garcia, a huge social media star with more than nine million Instagram followers, last fought in July 2022, beating Fortuna to improve his record to 23-0 with 19 knockouts.
Davis, 28, defended his WBA ‘regular’ title against Hector Luis Garcia in January and boasts 26 knockouts in 28 unbeaten fights.
Despite a more balanced outlook on his career, Garcia is not contemplating defeat against the knockout specialist nicknamed ‘Tank’.
“You’re going to see I will defeat you, I will beat you, nothing you can do can win,” a wide-eyed Garcia said in a message to his foe.
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“Hype yourself up, look at all your knockouts over and over again, keep practising your shots. I don’t care if you train a million times, you won’t defeat me.
Scroll through his social channels and you will find him posing with supercars, on luxury yachts in lavish destinations or pictured alongside ‘A’ list celebrity friends such as actor Jamie Foxx or basketball legend LeBron James.
You will also see numerous videos of Garcia showing off his rapid hand speed. Those clips often go viral, shared among his millions of young fans.
While he admits platforms such as Instagram have been integral to his career and brand, Garcia describes social media as a “place full of trolls” and says many consider him to be “an easy targets
