Canelo Alvarez took many by surprise when he openly criticized stablemate and understudy Ryan Garcia last month. 

“Look, Ryan has a lot of talent. But to me in my eyes, he’s wasting a lot of time and wasting his talent. I look at him and don’t see him 100 percent dedicated and, to us, that’s a bad signal,” Alvarez told Complex. “We always remind him as a team to come to the gym, to train, and to learn because you need to be in the gym. You’re learning day-by-day, at the very minimum fighting five times a year. When I was beginning my career, I did 15 fights in one year. That’s where I was at the beginning of my career. So definitely he needs to be a little more dedicated.” 

Garcia was in Las Vegas on Nov. 6 to watch Alvarez become undisputed super middleweight champion. As he was leaving the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Garcia responded Alvarez’s claims.

“I don't lack inspiration. I'm a hungry fighter. I had a hard year,” said Garcia. “I understand where he's coming from. It's always all love. I don't take anything personal. I just know that I had a hard year. But I'm fully recovered mentally. And when I get back with this [after the wrist surgery] I am coming for everybody's heads that said I'm not disciplined, not nothing. I am coming straight for them. I am going to knock everybody out to sleep, cold. I'm coming for everyone. Destroy them. That's it.”

Garcia has had a rocky 2021 after starting the year off strong. On Jan. 2, he rebounded from a knockdown to knockout Luke Campbell. Garcia’s next test was supposed to be Javier Fortuna in the summer, but Garcia pulled out of the fight shortly after it was announced citing mental health issues. 

After a sabbatical, serious steam was building toward a fight later this month with Joseph Diaz, but Garica suffered a right wrist injury that led to surgery in October. 

Garcia said his wrist is getting better. He also commented on Alvarez’s 11th round TKO win. 

“[Plant] didn't really come out fast,” said Garcia. “Canelo lets people do that. He broke [Plant] down like usual. Canelo does what Canelo does.”

It appears that Garcia didn’t take any of Alvarez’s criticisms personally. On Instagram, the social media star posted a photo embracing Alvarez and captioned it: “Big win for big bro [Mexican flag emoji. Clapping hands emoji]. I’m up next I promise you that.”

Garcia and Alvarez are both trained by coach Eddy Reynoso. 

The 2019 BWAA trainer of the year commented on the situation as well. 

“First of all, the relationship between Canelo and Ryan Garcia is very good,” Reynoso told Brobible. “Ryan Garcia comes here to box and to train, and Saul corrects on some things that he’s doing wrong, he advises him on his boxing technique, but look when someone criticizes you…and if that person is successful like Saul, who is the best boxer in the world, I would take that as a compliment. Now it depends on how each person takes it individually, but in the end, the only thing Saul said was in response to a question about what he sees in the gym.”

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or on www.ManoukAkopyan.com