A quick knockout or an overwhelmingly dominant performance from a fighter will always ease the mind of any trainer.
In the case of Ryan Garcia’s latest performance, the adversity in which he was forced to overcome was everything that head trainer Eddy Reynoso wanted and needed to see.
“I’ve enjoyed this victory for Ryan more than any other since we began working together,” Reynoso told krikya360.com of Garcia’s off-the-canvas 7th round knockout of Campbell. “As a trainer, to see him on the canvas and how he reacted to that situation made me so proud of what he was able to do in a situation like that.
“The way we all worked together in the corner and his response to that was what brought him to victory. His attitude during all of that was very impressive and allowed him to end the fight the way he did.”
Garcia (21-0, 18KOs) suffered the first knockdown of his career, as he was floored by England’s Campbell (20-4, 16KOs) in the 2nd round of their Jan. 2nd DAZN headliner in front of a sold-out crowd at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The 22-year old from Victorville, California climbed off the deck and regained his composure soon thereafter. As the fight progressed, Garcia seized full control before closing the show with a spectacular body shot knockout of the 2012 Olympic Gold medalist and former two-time title challenger.
The win marked Garcia’s fifth straight knockout in as many fights with Reynoso since making the coaching switch in 2018. The previous four outings were all one-sided affairs, including back-to-back 1st round knockouts of Romero Duno and Francisco Fonseca heading into the toughest test of his rising career.
The transformation process couldn’t be more pleasing to Reynoso and his team, although they had a very good idea of what to expect shortly upon his arrival into their San Diego training facility.
“His character is part of his DNA. You just can’t teach that, it’s within you,” Reynoso says of the unbeaten lightweight contender. “ He’s very talented, very disciplined. He’s obedient and responsive in the gym and in the ring.
“What he had to overcome versus Luke Campbell, it’s one of those things I needed to see to know what I had with him, to see that he really is one of the best fighters around.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox