Bernard Hopkins praises Ryan Garcia's use of negativity ahead of Luke Campbell clash

The 22-year-old fighter will next fight England’s Luke Campbell on 2 January on DAZN with his 20-strong unbeaten streak at risk from perhaps his toughest opponent yet.

Hopkins told Boxingscene.com that Garcia uses the criticism and expectation coming his way to motivate himself.

“Ryan is hearing that clearly. He listens to his fans and his haters,” Hopkins said. 

“Ryan needs that kind of conversation with people telling him what he can’t do — he’s too pretty, he’s skinny, he’s not a big puncher. But he’s an accurate puncher. The last time I spoke to a lot of people that have been knocked out, they didn’t see the punch coming. That’s what knocked them out — the one you don’t see coming and can’t prepare for.”

Garcia’s cockiness has attracted its own attention but Hopkins thinks that the lightweight prospect is able to use both his fans and his critics to his advantage.

“He uses a lot of the negativity and just as well proving to his fans that he’s the best,” said Hopkins. 

“I think both things will help him, not hurt him. It reminds me of my days when I used to do things and say things to get under people’s skin, and when they thought they got under my skin.”

Campbell is a division veteran and has gone close in both his title fights — against Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko — though he failed to win either. At 33 he has plenty of experience, and Hopkins acknowledges that a win will not necessarily come as quickly as they have in Garcia’s recent fights.

“I expect him to win by knockout, but a dogfight early,” he said. 

“Campbell is rough and tough — if he does back up early, then you know something happened. If Ryan rolls over Campbell and makes it look easy to the point where others had a tough time with him — it’s not a wrap, but it’s a wrap that night.

“It’s then the conversation of who he fights next.”