Ryan Garcia Publicly Admits Mistakes: "I’m Here to Change"

At the first press conference for his upcoming May 2 fight, American star Ryan Garcia took the opportunity to publicly acknowledge his past mistakes and express his determination to turn things around.

"I want to be great. I’ve always wanted to fight the best in this sport. As for my struggles outside the ring—they’ve always been there. I don’t know who else deals with these things, but it’s something I’ve faced.

I want to show everyone that you can come back from any hardship. I want to prove my dedication to the sport and be a true professional.

I acknowledge my mistakes, and I don’t want anyone to take my past actions—drinking or smoking before a fight—as an example of what a professional athlete should do.

I’m here to change. And this fight is the first step toward earning back respect and proving to everyone that my success wasn’t just a fluke. I’m ready to do it."

On May 2, Garcia will take on Rolando "Rolly" Romero. His last fight saw him defeat Devin Haney, but the victory was later nullified after Garcia tested positive for a banned substance, leading to his suspension from competition.