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The ETCs: Ryan Garcia, Social Media’s Undisputed Champ

Last Updated: March 7, 2024
Ryan Garcia stops by “The ETCs” to talk about bouncing back from his first career loss, moving up to 140 pounds, Jake Paul & YouTube boxing, and his undeniable hold on the social media game.

Click here to listen to the full episode.

They don’t call Ryan Garcia “King Ry” for nothing. Shoot, it’s his account handle on Instagram and TikTok, and he’s even boasted the bedazzled moniker in chain form around his neck leading up to and following multiple fights.

Garcia never entirely reached the mountaintop in a crowded and talented lightweight division that includes the man who handed him his first professional loss in April, Gervonta Davis, as well as Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Shakur Stevenson. He’s even taken his talents up to 140 pounds, where he will fight Oscar Duarte on Saturday in Houston with hopes of dismantling his opponent in preparation for some of the bigger names at junior welterweight like Teofimo Lopez or Regis Prograis.

But Ryan became King Ry outside of the ring, as there aren’t many in the boxing space that can hold a candle to what he’s done on the web. Sure, being talented and good-looking helps in this regard. After all, if he’s not winning fights in an appealing fashion, no promotion will want to work with him, regardless of how many people like his photos.

Still, it takes a legitimate understanding of how social media works and an effective plan of action to gain a following as big as Garcia’s — tens of millions across major social media platforms. In his eyes, it’s required in this day and age.

“Part of boxing is a business, and if you’re not putting people in seats, what is profitable to the people that put on the fights?” Garcia posed to Boardroom.

King Ry was ahead of the game in many regards, but especially when it came to self-promotion. Ahead of his bout with Duarte, Ryan Garcia sat down with Boardroom’s Eddie Gonzalez for the latest episode of The ETCs to dish on it all — how he’s recovering from his loss to Davis, what moving up to 140 pounds could do for his career, Jake Paul and the YouTube boxing era, and why his mindset of being the best at everything he does has driven him to social media success.

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Griffin Adams

Griffin Adams is an Editor at Boardroom. He's had previous stints with The Athletic and Catena Media, and has also seen his work appear in publications such as USA Today, Sports Illustrated, and MLB.com. A University of Utah graduate, he can be seen obnoxiously cheering on the Utes on Saturdays and is known to Trust The Process as a loyal Philadelphia 76ers fan.

About The Author
Griffin Adams
Griffin Adams
Griffin Adams is an Editor at Boardroom. He's had previous stints with The Athletic and Catena Media, and has also seen his work appear in publications such as USA Today, Sports Illustrated, and MLB.com. A University of Utah graduate, he can be seen obnoxiously cheering on the Utes on Saturdays and is known to Trust The Process as a loyal Philadelphia 76ers fan.