Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia was supposed to be a blockbuster. A childhood rivalry all squared up, a champion with an unblemished record and a challenger with a quick pair of hands threatening to knock him out. The fight has it all. But the event scheduled for April 20 never gained the momentum it deserved. The ticket sales are drying up, and the PPV rate has been slashed to promote the fight. So where did it go wrong?

When Haney vs. Garcia was announced for April 20, the boxing community billed it as one of the most anticipated fights of the year. ‘KingRy’ had shown signs of resurgence, adding more weapons to his arsenal against the win against Oscar Duarte in December. ‘The Dream’ had started his reign at super lightweight with another dominating win. But it all went south when Golden Boy Promotions’ high expectations were translated into a $80 PPV tag and steep-priced tickets, ranging from $190 to $6000, which burned a hole in fans’ pockets. Was it a PR failure? There is more to it than meets the eye.

Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia: missed marketing and pricing out the fans

You won’t shell out $300 to $500 for a top-row seat to watch any fight. Most Americans can’t afford it. Garcia, 25, had expressed his concerns on multiple occasions about the soaring prices. While he wanted most fans to fill the arena, the high prices ensured this fight remained out of their budget. Similarly, very few fans bought the tickets, hoping to receive a price cut close to the fight.

Both reasons directly affected gate revenue, as Haney, with a record of 31-0, and Garcia, with a record of 24-1, had almost sold out their last PPV bouts. While Garcia did it against Gervonta Davis, Haney did it against Regis Prograis. However, besides prices, the promoters will rue the missed marketing chances as they failed to put the WBC champion in the limelight.

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Garcia took the sole responsibility for promoting the event. Meanwhile, Bill Haney was the only one in Haney’s camp to give the fight any visible traction. Haney’s calming demeanor and his reluctance to trash-talk have held back the event. Bill Haney’s misfiring trash talks and his son’s inability to bring a charismatic persona to press conferences have caused great harm to the marketing of the fight.

The not-so-mouthwatering undercard also hasn’t worked in their favor. Despite the titles on the lines, there are no eye-popping names on the cards and no fight that promises to produce fireworks in the ring. You can cite Arnold Barboza Jr., and that’s the extent of notable fighters on the undercard. But is it the sole reason? It seems the Barclays Center is also at fault.

Barclays Center does everything right except its location

‘Tank’ sold out the Barclays Center when he defeated Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero. But it seems Haney vs. Garcia promoters missed a trick by not staging the fight in Las Vegas or California. Both fighters hail from California and don’t share any close affiliation or a strong fan base on the East Coast.

Is anyone willing to drive to Barclays Center to watch the action live up close, shelling out close to $500? It doesn’t make sense for most of the fans. The turnout would have been better if the fight had been staged in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas. Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe also held a similar view, as he knew Las Vegas was where the big money was. However, it all boils down to whether there is a wave of excitement among the fans about the upcoming event.

The flatlining interest in ‘KingRy’ vs. ‘The Dream’

The more Garcia spilled his shenanigans on social media, the more fans grew concerned about his mental health. What started as a dig became the talking point of the fight. His antics puzzled the fans, and they wondered whether he was serious enough for the fight and whether he would fully commit. The fans slowly maintained the thought that the fight would eventually be canceled.

Meanwhile, Garcia has cast the blame on Haney, whose lackluster performances in the past have put doubt on his ability to sell an event. The rumors of Prograis vs. Haney doing only 50,000 PPVs affected his reputation as a draw. Lastly, many have Haney as an overwhelming favorite, and many don’t want to pay to know the outcome of a fight they already foresee. More tempting fighting in Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia on May 4 and Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 might also have influenced fans’ decisions, as they would rather invest in cards that might offer them better returns.

Many factors have worked against Haney vs. Garcia, and it might cause distress among the promoters. Ticket prices are only one part of the problem and there are many other things that have come together and spoiled it for them.

What do you make of this coming fight between Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia? Do you believe that interest in the fight has taken a hit? Let us know in the comments below.