Ryan Garcia believes Canelo Alvarez essentially broke “gym code” when the undisputed 168-pound champion came out with comments criticizing his work ethic.
“Look, Ryan has a lot of talent. But to me in my eyes, he’s wasting a lot of time and wasting his talent,” Alvarez said back in November. “I look at him and don’t see him 100 percent dedicated and, to us, that’s a bad signal.”
In an interview published Friday on the Boxing with Chris Mannix podcast, Garcia opened up in detail about how he felt “betrayed” by Alvarez for making those comments in public and not behind closed doors.
“Did it get me a little – was I shocked? Yes,” Garcia told Mannix.
“I was kind of confused on it. I didn’t understand why he would say something like that, especially to the media. Because he could’ve definitely taken me somewhere else and told me personally. So I was kind of confused on that. I kind of took it as disloyal, because I would never do that to him.”
“I would never speak on him in the gym or what I think he should be doing. We’re a team. We shouldn’t speak any ill towards each other. And I know I’ve never done that and I never will. He’s a great fighter, a great human being, and I hope the best for him. But when he said that I felt betrayed. Like really? OK.”
“To be honest I don’t really think he wanted to show me the love that I did,” Garcia said of Alvarez. “I don’t think so, just based on other things. It’s all good, man. I have a good heart and good intentions. I never wish bad on him. I think I’m in a good place. I’m happy. That ain’t gonna change how I throw my punches, so I don’t care.”
“I was just crying nonstop, I don’t know if I can do this,” Garcia said. “Like, you (Canelo) have seen it. It’s true. I did leave 20 minutes in (at the gym) but I would never do that if I was focused and getting ready for a fight. It was just a moment [where] I was broken down mentally.”
“That’s why I was kind of like, ‘Wow, you really gonna do that? You know me. You know I’m like that,’” Garcia said. “I don’t mess around. He knows that I never gave him any edge. I was competitive no matter what. They pushed, I pushed. And you were not beating me no matter who it is in the gym. They know that about me. That’s why Eddy knew I was gonna be great and he told everybody.”
“That’s why I was like wow I was kind of confused on what he said. I don’t know what his motive was in that., What was the point he was trying to get across? You were just sh!tting on me. How does that motivate me? I am my own motivator. I got a lot riding on me. I don’t need motivation.”
“I’m a strong, maniac training machine that I’ll figure out to get this sh!t down. Like, Michael Jordan, all that, that’s me. Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia, that’s me. Floyd Mayweather, that’s me. I’m that person. It’s crazy for him to say that.”
