Ryan Garcia has slammed Terence Crawford’s record, arguing that his greatest victories came against fighters who were no longer in great shape, rather than younger fighters who were still trying to break through. Garcia cited Errol Spence and Canelo Alvarez as examples, saying both were already older by the time Crawford fought them, then asked for one “newborn lion” on Crawford’s record.
Garcia plays a clever game here, shifting the argument from skill to legacy. It’s much harder for Crawford to defend his “greatness” when the attack is on who he didn’t fight rather than how he fought them. By mentioning the names of fighters like Boots Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr., Garcia is referring to the one criticism that really hurts Crawford: the notion that there are too many names on his resume that are beyond their absolute physical peak.
Garcia was back to the same point. He said Crawford has never fought Jaron “Boots” Ennis, Vergil Ortiz Jr., or Devin Haney, and that is why his record is not as broken as people say. According to Ryan, Crawford beat fighters who didn’t have the same hunger as him.
This is a classic promotional move. Ryan calls him the gatekeeper who missed the hardest gates. It treats Crawford’s career as a series of calculated business decisions rather than a warrior’s journey, which is the ultimate insult to a guy who prides himself on being the “Boogeyman.”
Here’s why this narrative works for Ryan: If Crawford ignores him, Garcia says he’s ducking the “newborn lion.” If Crawford fights him, Garcia will get the huge payday he wants.
Die-hard boxing fans have been begging for a Crawford vs. fight for years. Ennis or Ortiz. Ryan is simply saying out raucous what has been whispered on the forums. This devalues Spence’s victory: by implying that Spence was a “damaged” older fighter, he tries to deprive Crawford of a career-defining moment.
Whether it’s true or not doesn’t really matter to Ryan. He managed to instill doubt in the “Pound for Pound” conversation, and in boxing, doubt sells tickets.
These comments fit with Garcia’s recent public push to fight Crawford, who has openly questioned Crawford’s position and tried to tempt him into yet another payday. Meanwhile, Crawford was declared retired following his victory over Canelo Alvarez, although Garcia is still trying to bring him back into the spotlight.
Joe Joyce will return to action against the undefeated heavyweight on July 11, marking his first fight under SugarHill head coach Steward.
The 40-year-old has not fought since April 2025, when he made a sturdy showing of himself before losing a unanimous decision to Filip Hrgovic. Joyce was scheduled to face fellow veteran Dillian Whyte and then face former world title challenger Hrgovic in a grueling 10-round fight when Whyte withdrew due to injury.
Hoping to get back into the win column, Joyce is now preparing to face Russian Artem Suslenkov in the Murat Gassiev vs Tony Yoka fight at Moscow’s VTB Arena.
After making contact with renowned trainer Steward, who is best known for his work with Tyson Fury, Joyce said he was looking forward to meeting the 30-year-old away.
“I have spent the last year preparing, training and wanting to get back into the ring. I am excited to go to Russia and fight for the WBA continental heavyweight title on July 11.
“Thank you IBA Pro for this opportunity. My team and I are locked in and Moscow should prepare for a great performance.”
Suslenkov boasts a professional record of 14-0 (9 KO), and most notably defeated Michael Hunter by eight-round unanimous decision in an IBA Pro match in 2024.
In the heavyweight division, the 6-foot-1 inch has also previously passed Christian Hammer and has stopped fights against Agron Smakici and Artur Mann each time.
Meanwhile, Joyce clearly wants to stay in the sport even after many called for him to retire following back-to-back losses to Zhilei Zhang in 2023.
Adrien Broner has sparked fresh concern after another live broadcast showed the former four-weight world champion struggling physically while continuing to consume alcohol.
Broner is present every day on the 24/7 broadcasts with influential boxer DeenTheGreat, and alcohol is rarely off limits during broadcasts.
However, many viewers believe that drinking itself is no longer the biggest problem.
Recent broadcasts showed Broner swallowing drinks quickly, taking them from other people nearby and appearing to choke or nearly vomit on several occasions as he continued to drink.
Fresh care
Broner has never hidden his love of nightlife, and many people can drink regularly and still be in complete control.
What concerned some viewers was the increasingly perceptible physical effects of alcohol on the welterweight star in real time.
During recent shows, Broner has repeatedly appeared to be unwell after drinking alcohol, and moments where he appears to be on the verge of illness have become challenging for viewers to watch.
As WBN previously reported, Ryan Garcia publicly urged Broner to stop drinking after watching stream clips while Gervonta Davis was undergoing a health check.
The scenes have heightened concern around the boxer who once built his reputation on training camp discipline and maintaining excellent fitness for much of the year.
DeenTheGreat | Throw
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Other shows featured drunken calls by Floyd Mayweather and increasingly erratic moments.
For a fighter once seen as Mayweather’s successor and one of boxing’s brightest stars, the contrast is making headlines.
What started as a live-streaming venture that Broner thought would make him a millionaire again is now generating a very different reaction.
Broner continues to insist that he is rebuilding his life and finances through streaming.
But as more and more clips spread online, more and more people seem less interested in the entertainment value and more focused on the man at the center of the action.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.
Haney has spent much of the last year being associated with some of boxing’s biggest names, including Ryan Garcia, Brian Norman Jr. and, most recently, Shakur Stevenson, amid reports that Zuffa Boxing is targeting big-name fights on its roster.
When asked about the future and the opportunities that will be available to players as up-to-date platforms enter the sport, Haney pointed to the long-term goals he still has for his son.
“At 27, Devin is still going forceful. He’s still heading towards, you know what I mean, boxer from Mount Rushmore. It’s still growing said Bill to MillCity Boxing.
Haney also shared a favorable opinion of Zuffa’s entry into boxing, suggesting that additional platforms could only benefit fighters looking to advance their careers.
“It’s a platform for the athlete to come through and that’s what it is, he really listens to his coach and his coach really looks at everything. I mean, it’s a great opportunity, man,” Bill said.
While critics continue to debate Devin Haney’s place in the sport’s elite, Bill believes his achievements have already earned him a place among boxing’s greatest fighters.
“Well, that would have to be difficult when you were talking to other Hall of Fame players and they were saying Devin was a Hall of Famer and they were saying you’re wrong. You never hear a Hall of Famer with his game,” Bill said.
“I think once they realize that and sit down, they’d like to have a career like Devin had.”
Haney’s comments come as Devin continues to consider his next move in a loaded welterweight division with several high-profile fights potentially available as boxing’s promotional landscape evolves.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most vital fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
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