Terence Crawford shares unique theory behind Ryan Garcia’s “Self-destruction”

Boxing superstar Terence Crawford has opened up on Ryan Garcia’s string of controversies outside of the boxing ring this year.

Crawford will face Israil Madrimov this Saturday in a WBA super welterweight clash. He returns to the ring for the chance to add another belt to his résumé against another top-tier boxer.

Crawford’s career trajectory is in stark contrast to Garcia’s after a year of issues for the talented 25-year-old out of the ring. He’s had several legal issues, lashed out into unhinged social media rants, and is serving a one-year suspension following the Devin Haney fight.

Garcia’s boxing career is on an indefinite pause after some concerning behavior away from the ring. Crawford, one of the top boxers in history, feels Garcia needs to surround himself with a better-supporting cast.

Terence Crawford questions Ryan Garcia’s inner circle

During a recent appearance on the IMPAULSIVE podcast, Crawford weighed in on Garcia’s recent controversies.

“I don’t have a relationship with [Garcia] like that, that’s not my place,” Crawford said of Garcia. “The guys that surround him, for you to call yourself a friend, a brother, a cousin, to watch a man like that self-destruct. What type of friend are you? Anything that I do that’s gonna challenge me, anything negative, or lead me down the wrong path, there’s not one person in my camp right now that wouldn’t grab me and be like ‘Hey, why you doing that?’…

“Whether I agree with them or not, now there’s an argument with them because they care about me so much. ‘Imma take the fire because [I’m] wrong, and [they’re] gonna tell me I’m wrong, and [they’re] not gonna let [me] be wrong because [they] love you that much. If you go fight somebody, you gonna have to fight me…and that’s everybody in my camp, no matter who it is.”

Garcia recently shared that he’s entering rehab for substance abuse, although it’s uncertain if he’s followed through with the declaration. His win over Haney was overturned to a no-contest after failing a post-fight drug test.

Crawford is an expert in the ‘sweet science’ and has enjoyed success in and out of the ring. He’s hopeful Garcia can turn his life around and realize his once prominent potential.