When Ryan Garcia defeated Luke Campbell at the start of last year, there was no shortage of potential opponents.
The win made the 22-year-old Californian the WBC mandatory challenger, and a fight with Devin Haney was, logically, the next step up for Garcia. However, with the youngster yet to fight against an opponent with world title-winning experience, he was linked with a handful of other contenders.
One option was Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, with his WBA ‘regular’ lightweight championship not quite a stellar achievement despite his expertly guided career. Tank and Garcia goaded one another on Facetime and appeared set for a fight, but nothing came to fruition.
After Tank, Garcia even claimed he’d be fighting Manny Pacquiao, but that quickly fell apart, and the American had to take a break to address his mental health. Upon his first return, it appeared that he might take on JoJo Diaz to decide the status of interim champion, but an injury that required surgery laid him low yet again.
Once he was back, it was not clear just who would be a suitable opponent for Garcia, and Emmanuel Tagoe was announced. Not an obvious tune-up opponent, but one that Garcia should expect to beat if he wants to be considered a potential world champion once again.
Tagoe is not known as a heavy-puncher but nor is he a pushover. A catchweight of 139lbs might give Garcia an easier time of his return, but arguably gives a greater advantage to a man who will likely benefit due to his age.
Championships
Tagoe, after all, has never held a belt from one of the four major governing bodies, but he has held the IBO belt, amongst others. After a defeat to Lante Addy in 2004 on his debut, he has won 32 fights since. He began collecting titles way back in 2007, when he beat Abdul Maliik Jabir for the Ghanaian featherweight title. In 2010, he won the WBO Africa super-featherweight title against South Africa’s Thomson Makwana, but won his first global belt in 2011.
In June that year he beat Oscar Bravo, a unanimous decision against the Chilean gifting him the vacant IBF Inter-Continental super-featherweight title. In November 2012 he added the WBA international lightweight title to his list of achievements against George Ashie.
In 2017, he took the IBO lightweight title from Mzonke Magali with a TKO, and in 2018 there was the WBO Africa lightweight belt won against Paulus Moses. And, in 2019 he claimed the IBF international and WBO global lightweight titles against Russian Vyacheslav Gusev. That would be his penultimate fight in his hometown before he moved onto the US and an international audience.
Biggest win
Despite the titles, the November 2020 fight against Mason Menard at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, in Hollywood, California, showed that he could perform in one of the most glamorous boxing destinations, and could withstand the pressure of facing one of the most experienced opponents so far. While it did not earn him a title, it demonstrated that he was a worthy fighter who retained his abilities into his early thirties - and perhaps made him the perfect opponent for a returning Garcia
Garcia vs. Tagoe fight date, start time
- Date : Saturday, April 9
- Time : 9:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 a.m. GMT
- Main event ringwalks (approx): 11:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 a.m. GMT
The main card is scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 a.m. GMT with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 11:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 a.m. GMT. These timings are subject to change due to the length of the undercard bouts.
Can I watch Garcia vs. Tagoe on DAZN?
The card will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe. You can sign up for a subscription here . However if you are in Argentina, Chile and Colombia you must download the DAZN app from the Apple App Store or Android Google Play store and then sign up from there, rather than via web browser.
Ryan Garcia vs. Emmanuel Tagoe will be available on Saturday, April 9, with a DAZN subscription in over 200 countries. Fight fans in Canada, meanwhile, can purchase the fight via DAZN PPV. Click here for more information.
What devices are supported on DAZN?
DAZN is available on web browsers at DAZN.com (except Argentina, Chile and Colombia) and also has apps available for all of the following TV and streaming devices:
| Mobile Devices | TV & Streaming Devices | Game Consoles |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone, iPad | Amazon Fire TV | Playstation 4 |
| Android phones, tables | Amazon Fire TV Stick | Playstation 5 |
| Amazon Fire tablet | Android TV | XBox One |
| Apple TV | XBox Series X | S | |
| Google Chromecast | ||
| LG Smart TV, Smartcast | ||
| Panasonic Smart TV | ||
| Samsung Smart TV | ||
| Sony Smart TV |
Where is the Garcia vs. Tagoe fight?
The fight takes place at the Alamodome, San Antonio in Texas, United States.
Ryan Garcia record and bio
- Nationality: American
- Date of birth: August 8, 1998
- Height: 5' 10"
- Reach: 70"
- Total fights: 21
- Record: 21-0 (18KOs)
Emmanuel Tagoe record and bio
- Nationality: Ghanaian
- Date of birth: January 10, 1989
- Height: 5' 8"
- Reach: 75"
- Total fights: 33
- Record: 32-1 (15 KOs)
Garcia vs. Tagoe fight card
- Ryan Garcia vs. Emmanuel Tagoe; lightweight
- George Rincon vs. Alejandro Frias; super lightweight
- Gregory Morales vs. Katsuma Akitsugi; featherweight
- Hector Valdez vs. Daniel Colula Moncada; super bantamweight