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Hopkins Blasts ‘Drama Queens’ In Boxing – Is It Ryan Garcia?

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated 1/15/24

Bernard Hopkins has hit out at fighters trading shots at each other on social media at the expense of getting into the ring.

Social media has become another tool for boxers to raise their profile outside of the ring. Boxers can instantly connect with their fanbase, which has many benefits and drawbacks. Ryan Garcia is one of those names that has gotten on Hopkins’ radar. The boxer has been criticised for spending too much time on his social media. This has been instead of perfecting his skills in the boxing ring.

That played out in his loss to Gervonta Davis. Garcia’s lack of defensive fundamentals resulted in him suffering a seventh-round knockout. Despite this, he earned $30 million for the fight, partly due to his large social media following of over 10 million Instagram followers. At the same time, Garcia’s social media following has also backfired on Hopkins.

He questioned Garcia’s future in the sport if he lost to Oscar Duarte, saying there was no guarantee he may fight any longer. Garcia hit out at those comments during the pre-fight presser with Duarte as he called out Hopkins and De La Hoya. Garcia silenced his critics, beating Duarte with an eighth-round stoppage. But Hopkins has not been left impressed by fighters doing their talking outside of the ring.

Hopkins On Boxers

“I think the drama queens are starting to get to the point that the fans are getting turned off and they don’t care who they fight or when they fight. And that’s the risk that happens when you make a soap opera out of it. It gets to the point that if you into that, you into that. Don’t get me wrong. Someone’s out there that is into that. I think after a while it gets kind of boring,” Hopkins said

But Garcia found himself in the crossfire again after withdrawing from talks to face Devin Haney. He had initially reached out to Haney’s team and informed De La Hoya to make the fight happen after ‘The Dream’s’ win over Regis Prograis to become the WBC junior welterweight champion.

Hopkins on Haney-Garcia

In the process, Garcia ruled out a Rolando Romero fight, increasing speculation that a fight with Haney would happen. De La Hoya even talked up the possibility of making it for March. That all changed when Garcia spent time with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Immediately after, Garcia changed his mind to face Romero. He called it the best business move since it would be a less risky fight and earn him a bigger payday. It would also mean that the Haney fight becomes bigger since it is a unification. But Hopkins understood why boxing fans may have become frustrated.

“I don’t know. I think the fans are smart enough to say hey whenever that fight happens, if they want to buy it, they’ll buy it, if they want to be interested in it. …But I think right now the world of boxing fans, casual or hardcore, are basically tired of hearing lip service. I think they now want to hear action. They want to hear more ‘we got signed contracts,’ more than ‘I want to fight [this guy, that guy.],” Hopkins stated

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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