Ryan Garcia Competes in World Series of Poker

Is poker a sport? It’s a serious question, if you are a boxing fan, and learned that Ryan Garcia participated in the World Series of Poker, and competed quite capably in the no-limit hold ‘em pool, too.

The fighter, last seen in the ring getting bettered by Gervonta Davis in their young gun showdown on April 22, made it to 566th place, more than decent considering there were more than 10,000 entrants. Can he now boast, if he chooses, of being a two sport standout?

Ryan, age 24, made something like $5M to fight Tank. He amassed earnings of $32,500 in his WSOP stint, comparative pocket change.

World Series of Poker In Las Vegas

The WSOP, for those unfamiliar, is the main event in the poker world, in terms of mass market profile, probably. It’s kind of like boxing, in terms of barrier to entry.

Trek to Las Vegas, pay $10,000 entry fee, and you too can try and do better than Garcia…or folks like predictive pundit Nate Silver, who are still alive in the tourney.

Poker hardcores maybe know Garcia fought off the mat, going as low as 7,000 chips on second day of play. He’s bounced now, and the tourney, which began in 2004, concludes on July 18.

Ryan Garcia used different skills at this table, as opposed to within his typical ring station

Moving forward, will young Ryan devote more time to this circuit? It comes to mind another boxing royalty, Canelo, who so adores golf that one wonders if he prefers that to the pugilism?

And would he one day cut short his ring efforts and jump ship to the “new love?”

Looks like the poker isn’t a newfound love. Ryan posted this to social after getting bounced from the poker playoff

Ryan Garcia, Poker Stud?

Is he wanting to catch up to the Phil Hellmuths, Doyle Brunsons and Phil Iveys of that world…or will he re-dedicate himself to the pugilistic task at hand?

Garcia has moved, full time, from California, to the Dallas, Texas area. His new trainer, Derrick James, calls Texas home.

This RG Twitter post from Tuesday indicates that he did get a hall pass from new trainer James and is keen to get back to boxeo

Have to assume Ryan will continue to call boxing his primary vocational home…but we will keep on his penchant for poker. After all, would you call him crazy if he went for the kinder, gentler world of poker, where the punishment absorbed is but a scintilla of the hurt felt in the ring?