You can make the case that Ryan Garcia is misunderstood heading into Saturday's bout with Javier Fortuna on DAZN.
With over 15 million followers on social media and being one of the premier names in boxing, criticism will come from every angle regardless of how you perform inside the ring. Someone Garcia's known since he was younger believes that to be the case.
"Yeah, he is," Alexis Rocha, who fights Luis Veron on Saturday in co-main event, told DAZN about Garcia being misunderstood.
"He has a big following. He's with YouTube stars and Tik-Tok stars. But, at the end of the day, this kid could fight. He can go in there (and) he could crack some heads. He could fight He's talented. He's skilled. I've known Ryan since back in the amateur days, and he's very skilled. He has to show it in the ring, and he has shown it in the ring.
"I think with the name like Javier Fortuna; he’s an ex-world champion who's been there with many current champions and former world champions. I think Ryan's going to show who he is."
After Vergil Ortiz had to pull out of his fight in March, Rocha was inserted into the main event position against Blair Cobbs. Rocha (19-1, 13 KOs) ended up winning the heated affair via ninth-round knockout to extend his KO streak to three. Having that moment is something Rocha will never forget, and a time he'll keep in his back pocket as the opportunities for bigger fights continue.
"It was a great experience being elevated to the main event because in my eyes, I always want to go and steal the show," Rocha said.
"I always want to go and showcase my talent. I want all eyes on me."
While Vernon (19-4-2, 9 KOs) isn't Ortiz, Errol Spence Jr., or Terence Crawford, Rocha isn't disappointed by who he's facing. He understands he's fighting right underneath Garcia, and there will be plenty of focus on him which Rocha sees only as a positive.
"Despite me being in the co-main event, there's gonna be a lot of people there," Rocha said. "Ryan Garcia has a big fan base, and I plan to steal a lot of his fans."
You can watch Rocha and Ryan Garcia vs. Javier Fortuna this Saturday, live and exclusively worldwide on DAZN.