Boxer Ryan Garcia overcomes bout with mental health issues

Garcia, 23, who’s scheduled to fulfill Emmanuel Tagoe (32-1, 15 KOs) in a 12-round light-weight bout Saturday on the Alamodome, made headlines this previous yr when he battled psychological well being points, forcing him to withdraw from a combat.

He joins a listing high-profile athletes — gymnast Simone Biles, tennis participant Naomi Osaka and swimmer Michael Phelps — who’ve been forthcoming about their much-publicized struggles with psychological well being.

However Garcia specifically raised eyebrows together with his admission, prompting him to step away from the game to “handle my well being and well-being” earlier than a July 2021 combat towards Javier Fortuna.

Garcia is a boxer and boxers are anticipated to be “robust guys,” acknowledged for his or her bravery and unfazed by emotional or psychological troubles confronted by athletes in different sports activities.

Garcia posted on social media, the place he has practically 9 million followers on Instagram, that he had “determined to take a while off to concentrate on turning into a stronger model of myself.”

The criticism he obtained from a few of his followers, who questioned his coronary heart and toughness, was swift and harsh.

Then a wrist harm later that very same yr suffered throughout coaching pressured him to tug out of one other combat, including to his despair.

He admitted to ideas of suicide.

“All the pieces got here tumbling down on me mentally,” Garcia stated. “It was a tough time in my life. It bought actually darkish … to the purpose I didn’t know if I wished to dwell anymore.”

In different interviews, Garcia recounted the time he reached his breaking level. It got here someday within the fitness center whereas coaching with then-stablemate Canelo Alvarez.

“I simply burst out crying for no motive in entrance of all people and I ran from the fitness center,” stated Garcia of Los Angeles,. “Canelo and all people was there. I simply couldn’t maintain it in.”

With the criticism got here waves of help. Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions got here to his fighter’s protection.

For greater than a decade, De La Hoya was the face of boxing, a charismatic determine who drew enormous crowds wherever he went.

“Coping with household, coping with followers and now social media, it may be brutal,” De La Hoya stated. “These psychological well being challenges have at all times been there, however we simply by no means talked about it. A whole lot of athletes, quite a lot of fighters take care of it in a wide range of methods. For me, I went straight to the bottle. However Ryan did it the precise means, the wholesome means. He went to a therapist. He bought assist. Now he can discuss it.”

San Antonio boxing legend “Jesse” James Leija understands the stress boxers face. Throughout a professional profession that spanned 17 years, Leija fought most of the sport’s greatest names of his period.

He acknowledges he would have been laughed out of the fitness center had he opted out of any of his showdowns with Azumah Nelson for psychological well being causes, however now, fortunately, issues have modified considerably.

“We’ve come a good distance, however not far sufficient,” Leija stated. There’s nonetheless a stigma with reference to athletes and psychological well being, he stated.

Garcia stated he’s conquered most of his demons and is way stronger on account of the work he’s put in.

“I’m going to maintain being an inspiration for those who are struggling,” he stated.