Former IBF super featherweight world champion Tevin Farmer knows a thing or two about comebacks. Farmer, who had less than twenty amateur fights, would start of his career on the b-side, only to battle his way back from an imperfect record to a world title. The best example of this would be his 2016 fight in which he outboxed an undefeated Ivan Redkach on a televised undercard from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Farmer was campaigning at super featherweight but moved up for the opportunity which proved fruitful.
Two fights later, Farmer would fight for a world title and lose to Kenichi Ogawa, with the bout later being ruled a no-contest due to an adverse finding in Ogawa’s post-fight drug test. In August of 2018, Farmer would fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a world champion when he defeated Billy Dib for the IBF super featherweight world title.
Farmer, who made four defenses of his world title before losing his belt to Joseph Diaz Jr., recently caught up with ProBox TV News to talk about a variety of subjects, but one of which being the future of junior welterweight Ryan Garcia, and what Farmer thinks would be best for Garcia after losing to Gervonta Davis on April 22nd, in a historic pay-per-view event.
Now an author, Farmer, recently released a self-published book titled “The Fighter’s Bible.” A guide to help young fighters not make the same mistakes he made, as Farmer confessed he never knew how to cut weight properly for his whole career and that many of his early losses were based on fatigue and not knowing what he was doing or the system in place. In many ways, Farmer is now the ideal pundit as an author as he has lived various aspects of the sport as well as reflected upon the process in preparation for his book. Farmer offered even more advice for Ryan Garcia. When talking about Garcia’s inability to stick to a game plan Farmer offered a rather realistic and level-head view of what happened.
“That comes with experience, and with age, too, he is only [24 years old],” said Farmer as he was not too quick to judge Ryan Garcia. “I actually think [Ryan Garcia] beat himself. He could’ve done way better. Easier said than done, right, but you could tell Davis’ maturity level was just too much for him.”
Farmer offered an even deeper reflection that it wasn’t their skillset of Davis that beat Garcia as much as Garcia’s inability to handle the moment due to his age, experience, and mental development. Farmer offered a deep insight as to why he thought this.
“From an experience/mental side, I think [Garcia] skipped some levels, but skill wise I don’t think he skipped any levels,” furthered Farmer. “Davis didn’t blow him out with the skills. Davis beat him, because he is more mature, his mental is just different. That’s why Davis beat him, they both have skills. Davis obviously has a better trainer, so all of that makes a difference.”
