He went through his own mental struggles not too long ago.
Ryan Garcia is one of the most recognizable faces in boxing today. Despite suffering his first defeat at the hands of Gervonta Davis last April, the 24-year-old slugger remains as one of his sport’s main draws. Part of it has something to do with his movie-part looks, but more importantly, his popularity is also a product of his undeniable in-ring talent.
Put simply, he’s a bona fide boxing star who has achieved fortune and fame that many men can only dream of. But does that make him invincible? The answer is no.
On the wee hours of Sunday morning, Manila time, the fighter nicknamed KingRy sent out a tweet to let the world know about his feelings towards mental health.
"The stigma of mental health is still apparent. It’s not about being tough. It’s about continuing to learn more about yourself and to strengthen yourself," Garcia wrote.
“We are continuing to learn, and stop being ignorant to a problem that hurts a lot of people in silence. I care so much,” he added, before punctuating with #MentalHealthAwareness.
The former champion’s words, particularly the line that said “I care so much”, must’ve come from the heart.
In January of 2021, after knocking out Luke Campbell for the WBC interim lightweight belt, Garcia had to step away from boxing to get himself right, both physical and mentally. In October of that same year, he had undergone hand surgery, which turned out to be successful. Dealing with his depression, however, proved to be a lot tougher.
“When that was happening to me and I couldn’t find a way out of my mind, it frustrated me,” Garcia told DAZN Sports before his showdown against Davis.
“I just had a lot of different thoughts, suicidal thoughts, I went through a tough time but I battled through it.”
Garcia must know what he’s talking about when it comes to the importance of mental health. He had been through his own struggles and survived. To know that he’s doing something for others who might be going through the same ordeal just adds to the list of things to admire about the charismatic fighter.
(GM)