Ryan Garcia Ex Trainer Joe Goossen Explains Why He Didn’t Attend Post-fight Presser

Ryan Garcia split with trainer Joe Goossen after losing to Gervonta Davis April 22. Word dropped of the news on Monday. Reporter Dan Rafael snagged Joe Goossen for a half hour chat, touching on the reason for the split.

He also delved heavily on that hook which put Ryan Garcia down for the count in Las Vegas. And about missing that post-fight presser?

The trainer gave a detailed explanation for not showing up at the post-fight press conference.

Bottom line, no one told Joe Goossen there would be a post fight presser…or told him to go…or alerted him as it was going on.

Goossen Explains In Depth Why He Didn't Hit Presser

The trainer said he did every single media event. On fight night, after the fight, Goossen said, he started talking to Al Bernstein, Colby Covington, fans and friends on the aisle to the back. That took 20-30 minutes, he said.

He went to the locker room, saw Ryan getting dressed, spoke to some folks in the locker room. “I never heard about a press conference,” the trainer said.

Dan interrupted him, and Goossen said, “Let me finish.”

Time passed and Goossen was wondering what was what. “Have you seen Ryan Garcia?” he asked someone. “He left,” he was told. “They had a press conference in the ring.”

Goossen wasn't notified before, plus no one texted him an alert when they saw he wasn't present, he shared.

He would absolutely have gone, but was out of the loop. Dan tried to interrupt him again, but Joe kept his train of thought.

It was a comedic debacle, he walked from T-Mobile to get to the MGM, and then was told he needed a cab. It was a snafu, basically, he had never been in a press conference in a ring, which is where they did the Davis Garcia post-fight presser.

“I've never missed anything  (a post fight presser) with my fighter, especially if they lose, I wanna be there for them…I literally thought Ryan was just going to pack up and leave, and go to wherever he was going.”

Dan called that a “long story,” and Goossen said no, “It was THE story.”

Bottom line, Goossen said, he was bummed he missed the post-fight presser. Again, he reiterated, no one texted him to ask where he was. He was pretty much last man out of the building, he didn't bolt. “You either believe me or don't that's the damn bottom line,” Goossen stated.

So Why Did the Joe Goossen Ryan Garcia Split Happen?

During slightly more upbeat times. (Ryan Hafey photo)

Dan pushed Joe on why the split happened.

Goossen said the “breakup call” which occurred Sunday went smoothly. He didn’t like the term “getting fired,” he told Rafael.

He gave Ryan Garcia props for making the termination call himself. “I was pretty much aware (that termination was coming after the loss),” Goossen said.

“It was more than a singular decision by Ryan…it could have been general consensus on the team’s part,” the trainer said. Is that a vague reference to the presence of dad Henry Garcia, who trained Ryan from the start?

No hard feelings, said Goossen. “I have nothing but admiration for Ryan Garcia,” he noted.

Ryan Garcia Worked Real Hard in Camp, And About the Rib…

The trainer, who enters the International Boxing Hall of Fame June 9, explained that lots of guys have gyms at their home. Ryan does. He’d spar at the gym with Joe, and Joe would go to the home gym and work with Ryan. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays he’d go to the Ryan gym.

Dan asked Ryan about Ryan’s rib. Was it hurt in the gym prior to the bout? Any rib woes weren’t a factor coming into the Davis fight, the tutor said. “He never missed a day of training,” the trainer stated.

Nah, a pre-existing rib injury cannot be pointed to as a reason for losing, Goossen continued. He made a fine point, these pro fighters ALL have some body part or another hurting going into a clash.

And the fight itself. Goossen said he liked, to a degree, what Ryan Garcia did in round one, and then portions of round two.

Was the Game Plan Smart? Did Ryan Garcia Adhere To It?

The trainer chose his words carefully. He saw Garcia recovered as he came to the corner after round two, in which he was dropped. He said yes, he wanted to have Ryan box, but for sure, try to exploit his power.

“I think it’s patently obvious to know what the game plan should be, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist (to know the proper game plan),” Goossen said.

Fascinatingly, he put Dan on the spot, asking him to supply the ideal game plan. Rafael laid out a blue print plan on how ideally Ryan should try to fight Tank. Lots of movement, no back to the ropes, use superior height, use jab to maintain distance you want, is what Dan envisioned.

Spot on, Goossen said.

And was there a point where Goossen got worried? I’ve cornered too many fights when momentum shifted, my guy who wasn’t winning rounds turned it around. He likes to think positively, he said, so he’s not one to fall too deep into worry.

More tidbits from Joe Goossen…

–Some back-story….The Cali trainer told Dan that he wanted to latch on with Garcia when he was a teen. He made an offer, which offered something of a managerial element. “We didn’t make a deal, but we stayed fast friends after that,” the trainer stated.

—Ryan would call him after fights, talk about the scraps. Goossen got over the disappointment that they didn’t do a deal back then, he said, and there are no hard feelings from the split.

—Goossen gave Gervonta’s trainer Calvin Ford heavy props, for teaching so adeptly.

—Joe Goossen said Gervonta could well be pound for pound number one

—Stranger things have happened than him and Ryan Garcia re-uniting

—Ryan’s “artillery” works best against righties, Goossen said, when asked to give a hint how Ryan will proceed

—Sometimes great fighters learn from a loss, and get better, Ryan may well do the same

—Ryan Garcia  is 24, his man strength will be improving. He will be very tough for most everyone moving forward, he’s just 24. “He wants to be the best,” the trainer said. “He knows he has plenty left,” noting that everybody aside from Floyd Mayweather loses. “He's really a welterweight in waiting.”