Former two-division world champion Bernard Hopkins does not believe the rehydration clause affected Ryan Garcia in last month’s pay-per-view fight with Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.
At the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Garcia was dropped in the second round and then put down for good in the seventh, after Davis landed a very hard shot to the body.
The fight was made at a contracted catchweight of 136-pounds. There was also a rehydration clause, where both boxers had to make weight on the morning of the fight – with neither allowed to gain more than 10 pounds overnight.
During the post-fight press conference, Garcia told media members that he felt a little weak on his way to the ring – but then everything “came together” once the contest began.
Garcia plans to continue his career at the junior welterweight division limit of 140-pounds.
Besides being a Hall of Fame fighter, Hopkins is also a partner in Golden Boy Promotions, who promote Garcia.
He doesn’t believe the various clauses, with respect to weight, played a role in the outcome.
“I don’t think it affected him to the point where he couldn’t perform the way he did. I don’t think it affected him where he looked like a skeleton on the scales. I thought [physically] Ryan looked great, his skin still had moisture on it when I watched him,” Hopkins told The DAZN Boxing Show.
“I just think that he got caught with a shot that he didn’t see on the side of the liver or rib that was already bruised and breached.”
There are plenty of options for Garcia at junior welterweight. Some of the bigger fights for Garcia include Josh Taylor, Teofimo Lopez, Regis Prograis, Subriel Matias, Jose Ramirez and several others.