If anyone can relate to Ryan Garcia’s decision to change head trainers once again, it’s his own promoter.
The recent news of Garcia entering training camp with world-class cornerman Joe Goossen after having spent more than three years under the guidance of Eddy Reynoso came as a surprise to many, and with mixed reviews. Among those who supported the move is Oscar de la Hoya, the chairman and founder of Golden Boy Promotions whose Hall of Fame boxing career came with constant turnover in his corner.
“You’re talking to a guy who changed trainers six different times,” De La Hoya quipped while otherwise discussing Garcia’s upcoming lightweight fight with Ghana’s Emmanuel Tagoe. ‘Things happen for a reason. There are times you want to change trainers.
“It’s all about bettering yourself. Who knows exactly what happened? But this move that Ryan made is for the best.”
De La Hoya absorbed knowledge from a who’s who list of top trainers during his sixteen-year pro career. Robert Alcazar was a longtime presence in his corner, but with a reduced role prior to De La Hoya’s first fight with Mexican icon Julio Cesar Chavez as Jesus Rivero took the lead for that fight and through his fourth divisional title win when he outpointed the late Pernell Whitaker in April 1997 to claim the WBC welterweight crown.
Emanuel Steward was then brought into the picture, though the late, legendary cornerman—on the short list of the best all-time trainers—didn’t last long among Team De La Hoya. The reins were handed over to Gil Clancy, and Floyd Mayweather Sr.—who De La Hoya claimed was his best trainer of the lot—after that. Three more legendary cornermen—Freddie Roach, Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Beristain’ and Angelo Dundee—also had brief pit stops toward the end of De La Hoya’s illustrious career.
If the wild journey proved anything, it’s that not even the game’s top trainers come one-size-fits all.
Still, it was unexpected when Garcia revealed plans to leave the Reynoso camp to bring in Goossen, with whom he worked during his amateur boxing years.
The announced move came shortly after Garcia (21-0, 18KOs) confirmed his awaited ring return, as he faces Tagoe (32-1, 15KOs) atop an April 9 DAZN telecast from Alamodome in San Antonio. The fight will be the first for Garcia since his off-the-canvas, seventh-round knockout of Luke Campbell last January in Dallas.
Much of the rest of 2021 for Garcia was spent battling depression, taking a mental health break and also undergoing surgery to repair a right wrist which was injured during training camp. The series of developments resulted in his having to walk away from two scheduled fights—a summertime showdown with Javier Fortuna, and a November 27 interim title fight with Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz.
It also meant the last of his time spent with Reynoso, best known for his career-long work with global superstar and pound-for-pound king Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (57-1-2, 39KOs).
Garcia, Reynoso and Alvarez all seemingly grew a strong bond during the unbeaten lightweight’s three-plus years together after joining the team in October 2018, shortly after struggling in a ten-round decision win over Carlos Morales. Five wins followed, all by knockout and with Garcia emerging as a top lightweight contender.
The next step in his career is now in the hands of Goossen, who has long ago earned a reputation as one of the game’s premier trainers. Like Reynoso, Goossen is a straight-forward, no-nonsense trainer with little to no sympathy for fighters not willing to put in the work. Garcia has immediately responded to the union, with a focused, well-conditioned and stress-free rising star always of benefit to any promotional company.
“He’s ready to showcase everything he’s learned with Joe Goossen,” De La Hoya said. “I was excited when I heard he went with Joe Goossen. Ryan has something in him that makes him great and we will see that once again on April 9.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox