It started as a conversation, but the point Ryan Garcia made to Ashton Hall resonated with many, including UFC fighter Arman Tsarukyan. This discussion, which aired on Garcia's Kick stream, centered on the respect fighters, both in MMA and boxing, get compared to other athletes.

Ryan Garcia explained to Ashton Hall why boxers and MMA fighters often command a different level of respect than other athletes. According to him, combat sports automatically draw attention from fans in a way most other sports cannot.

"No matter what, no no, no matter what in the world though, if you see two people about to fight, we could be on the street. They're gonna be watching. You can't, if I see people playing soccer, I'm not stopping. But you see people about to scrap, the whole crowd comes through. Boxers and UFC fighters. No matter what, get the most respect out of everybody."

Garcia justified his claim by arguing that people often show interest in professional fighters because of what they endure. He even made comparisons with soccer as he believes fans follow other athletes like soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo for their technical skills, but follow fighters for their willingness to engage in physical fights that can seriously injure them.

Tsarukyan chimed in with his own thoughts, saying:

"You cannot say you play box, or play MMA."

That willingness earns them a different level of respect among fans. Throughout this, Hall patiently listened to the entire thing, giving the current WBC welterweight champion full freedom to express his views.

But then the topic shifted from respect to relevance, and that's where Hall made his views known.

Hall Clashes With Garcia Over Muhammad Ali vs. LeBron James debate

Could LeBron James beat Muhammad Ali? Not in a boxing match, but maybe in terms of popularity. And Hall was all in favor of the basketball legend.

“LeBron is getting way more notice than Muhammad Ali. Respect to Ali, but LeBron is getting way more notice,” said Hall in the same live stream on Kick.

Garcia seemed taken aback by the comment and replied with an even bigger comparison, saying,

"Bro, Muhammad Ali is basically like Michael Jackson. They’re up to par.”

Hall’s argument was based on modern times since James is from an era where global exposure is amplified due to the internet.

But Garcia was standing his ground with his claim, showing his deep-rooted love for Ali’s legacy. In the end, both men ended the debate by respecting each other's opinions.

Who do you think would be more popular with the same exposure today?

Follow Bodybuilding Bros for more news

Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi