Ryan Karl
Ryan

Ryan Karl

“Cowboy”

RECORD

19 - 4 - 0

KOs

12

Weight 140 lbs (63.64 kg)

Age 32

Home Houston, Texas,

Complete Stats

With a style befitting his nickname, “Cowboy” Ryan Karl ties up and takes down opponents with his rough-and-tumble attack. Read Bio

Last Fight

Loss vs Omar Juarez

Feb 05, 2022 / Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Ryan Karl LOSES to Omar Juarez by SD in Round 10 of 10

Latest News

Ryan Karl News
Keith ThurmanPBC Boxing Video
Feb 6, 2022 / Thurman vs Barrios, Keith Thurman, Mario Barrios, Leo Santa Cruz, Jesus Alejandro Ramos, Luis Nery, Carlos Castro, Abel Ramos, Ryan Karl, Omar Juarez

Keith Thurman Looks Strong in Ring Return, Defeats Mario Barrios

The former unified welterweight world champion returns in fine form, winning a unanimous decision over former super lightweight world champ Mario Barrios Saturday night in FOX Sports PBC pay-per-view main event.

Gervonta DavisPBC Boxing Video
Nov 1, 2020 / Davis vs Santa Cruz, Gervonta Davis, Leo Santa Cruz, Mario Barrios, Ryan Karl, Regis Prograis, Isaac Cruz Gonzales, Diego Magdaleno

Gervonta Davis Delivers Highlight Reel KO of Leo Santa Cruz

The pride of Baltimore could be boxing's new king as he becomes the first man to stop Santa Cruz and does so in impressive fashion Saturday night on SHOWTIME PPV.

Barrios vs. KarlPBC Boxing Video
Oct 29, 2020 / Davis vs Santa Cruz, Mario Barrios, Ryan Karl, Regis Prograis, Isaac Cruz Gonzales, Diego Magdaleno

Davis vs. Santa Cruz PPV Undercard Final Press Conference Quotes

Full video and transcription of Wednesday's final press conference for Davis vs. Santa Cruz undercard participants ahead of Saturday night's SHOWTIME PPV.

Fights

Ryan Karl Fights

Loss vs Omar Juarez 14-2-0

Feb 05, 2022 Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Ryan Karl LOSES to Omar Juarez by SD in Round 10 of 10

Win vs Edgar Ramirez 18-17-1

Aug 07, 2021 Armory, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Edgar Ramirez by UD in Round 8 of 8

LOSS vs Mario Barrios 28-2-0

Oct 31, 2020 Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas

Mario Barrios WINS against Ryan Karl by KO in Round 6 of 12

Win vs Bergman Aguilar 15-5-1

Nov 02, 2019 MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Maryland, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Bergman Aguilar by RTD in Round 5 of 10

Win vs David Morales 13-11-0

Jun 29, 2019 NRG Arena, Houston, Texas, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against David Morales by KO in Round 1 of 8

WIN vs Kevin Watts 12-4-0

Jan 13, 2019 Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, California, USA

Kevin Watts LOSES to Ryan Karl by KO in Round 5 of 8

LOSS vs Kevin Watts 12-4-0

Apr 28, 2018 Don Haskins Center, El Paso, Texas, USA

Kevin Watts WINS against Ryan Karl by TKO in Round 5 of 8

Win vs Kareem Martin

Nov 17, 2017 Dort Federal Credit Union Center, Flint, Michigan

Ryan Karl WINS against Kareem Martin by UD in Round 8 of 8

Win vs Carlos Winston Velasquez 24-29-2

Jul 18, 2017 Rapides Coliseum, Alexandria, Louisiana, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Carlos Winston Velasquez by UD in Round 8 of 8

LOSS vs Eddie Ramirez 18-3-0

Feb 02, 2017 Horseshoe Casino, Tunica, Mississippi, USA

Eddie Ramirez WINS against Ryan Karl by RTD in Round 9 of 10

Win vs Jose Felix Quezada 11-0-0

Sep 27, 2016 Buffalo Thunder Casino, Pojoaque, New Mexico, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Jose Felix Quezada by RTD in Round 4 of 8

Win vs Luis Solis 16-6-4

Jun 25, 2016 Scottish Rite Theatre, San Antonio, Texas, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Luis Solis by UD in Round 8 of 8

Win vs Ken Alvarez 7-2-2

Nov 28, 2015 The Bomb Factory, Dallas, Texas, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Ken Alvarez by TKO in Round 5 of 6

Win vs Alfonso Olvera 4-1-0

Oct 06, 2015 Cowboys Dance Hall, San Antonio, Texas, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Alfonso Olvera by UD in Round 6 of 6

Win vs Malcolm Terry 6-5-0

Sep 06, 2015 American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Malcolm Terry by TKO in Round 1 of 4

Win vs Rigoberto Flores 7-1-0

Jul 18, 2015 Don Haskins Convention Center, El Paso, Texas, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Rigoberto Flores by TKO in Round 2 of 6

Win vs Brett Simmons 2-0-2

Feb 06, 2015 Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Biloxi, Mississippi, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Brett Simmons by UD in Round 4 of 4

Win vs Julio Quintana 1-0-0

Nov 20, 2014 Sportsmans Lodge, Studio City, California, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Julio Quintana by KO in Round 2 of 4

Win vs Jerron Lockette 4-21-2

Sep 29, 2014 State Farm Arena, Hidalgo, Texas, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Jerron Lockette by TKO in Round 1 of 4

Win vs David Green 2-20-1

Aug 07, 2014 American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against David Green by KO in Round 1 of 4

Win vs Cory Muldrew 1-7-0

Jun 27, 2014 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Cory Muldrew by TKO in Round 1 of 4

Win vs Wilbert Mitchell 1-10-0

May 26, 2014 Fort Bliss Arena, El Paso, Texas, USA

Ryan Karl WINS against Wilbert Mitchell by TKO in Round 2 of 4

Stats

Ryan Karl “Cowboy”

  • WINS 19
  • LOSSES 4
  • DRAWS 0
  • KOs 12

Weight 140 lbs (63.64 kg)

Height 5'10" (1.78 m)

Reach 73" (185 cm)

  • Born

    January 09, 1992
  • Age

    32
  • Country

    USA
  • Born in

    Milano, TX
  • Trains in

    Houston, TX
  • Stance

  • Rounds Boxed

    106
  • KO Percentage

    63.16%
  • Boxing Hero

Fighter data provided by BoxRec Ltd. View disclaimer

Bio

Ryan Karl Bio

One of the most colorful characters in the game, "Cowboy" Ryan Karl is out to win a world title with his fan-friendly, rugged style of attack.

Channeling Competitiveness

Ryan Karl has been channeling frustrations through athleticism since childhood, often turning calamity into serenity, 

“When I was in fifth grade, our house burned down while we were out of town. We lost everything. I remember walking into school as kids were handing me money, saying, ‘This is from our parents.’ Thinking about it now, I get pretty emotional and it brings me to tears,” said Karl, recalling his time in Cameron, Texas.

“We lived in Cameron for another year until moving to Melano in seventh grade and starting school there. I played all of the sports I could play every year except for basketball. I played pee wee football and made it to states in track. I’ve always been competitive in everything, using sports as an outlet for things that happen in life.”

Karl’s foray into boxing in Waco, Texas, gave the 11-year-old an avenue to express his natural aggression.

“My Mom told the coaches I was in fights all of the time, and they said, ‘Well what do you expect? He’s a skinny, red-headed freckle-faced white boy.’ We had a boxing bag in the house, and my Dad taught my brother and I how to fight,” said Karl of his father, Darrel. 

“I was always in scraps. If someone said something about my family, my first reaction was to hit them. I can’t remember one time getting beat up. I always excelled at individual sports, so I fell in love with boxing.”

After his father opened a gym in Cameron, Karl “trained after football practice and was too tired to get in trouble,” adding, “I was expected to win, and, most of the time, I did. You can attribute that to my parents’ pushing me. I wanted to pursue my goal to become a world champion.”

Karl soon entered the Houston-based Plex Gym of renowned trainer Ronnie Shields, who has guided 154-pound champions Erislandy Lara and Jermell Charlo. 

“I did well sparring four rounds with Danny O’Connor and Ronnie invited us back,” said Karl, who went 108-20 as an amateur, earned a title in the 2012 Ringside Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., and a bronze medal at the 2013 Nationals in Spokane, Washington.

“I won a handful of Golden Gloves tournaments in San Antonio and Austin in 2009, 2010 and 2011, and I won the Houston Open Ring Nationals in 2012, earning the Outstanding Fighter in that event.”

Karl “would wear Jeans and a cowboy hat to all of my amateur fights in San Antonio and Dallas, prompting everyone to go, ‘Yeehaw, here comes the cowboy!,’” he said. 

“It was funny when I first started boxing, but then, it was something that stuck. Finally, one day, Ronnie told us, ‘If you’re ready to turn pro, lemme know. I’ll help you in any way that I can.’”

A 22-year-old Karl stopped his first five professional opponents in 2014. Karl won all six of his bouts in 2015 as well.

“I was strong, tough in great shape, throwing a million punches,” said Karl. “Simmons was the first fighter I didn’t stop. I knocked him down in the first round, but I hurt my hands.”

Karl vs. Aguilar: November 2, 2019 (PBC on FS1)

Overcoming Tragedy

In 2016, Karl scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Solis in June, followed by a two-knockdown, fourth-round stoppage of Jose Felix Quezada in September, bringing his record to 13-0 (9 KOs). 

Karl endured the November 2016 passing of Shields’ 48-year-old assistant, Todd Harlib, after defeating Quezada, this, after having already experienced the death of his 1-year-old sister, June Abbriella “Ella,” from a heart defect on New Year’s Day, 2009. His wife of seven years, Madison, expects the December 22 arrival of their first daughter to be named in honor of his sister. The new infant will join brothers, Jace, 6, and Jack, 1.

“I knocked down Quezada twice in that fight. Todd was a big inspiration for me that night as he had been in every fight,” said Karl, who wears his sibling’s name on his trunks. “Right now it’s all about my wife and children. I want my kids to see me stand tall as a Christian man and a world champion.”

Karl went 2-2 and was stopped twice over the course of his next four bouts, his ninth- and fifth-round losses to Eddie Ramirez (February 2017) and Kevin Watts (April 2018) flanking eight-round unanimous decisions in July and November 2017 over Carlos Winston Velasquez and Kareem Martin, the latter falling to 9-2-1 (3 KOs).

Karl registered three knockouts in 2019 comprising those in the fifth round of his rematch with Watts (January), a first-rounder opposite David Morales (June) and another fifth-rounder over Bergman Aguilar (November), rising from a first-round knockdown against Aguilar. 

“Nobody likes to lose, but those guys made me more determined,” said Karl of Ramirez and Watts, who rose to 16-0 (11 KOs) and 12-2 (5 KOs). “My work ethic has improved. I’m on the get-back trail and I’m hungrier than ever.”

Unfortunately, Karl would suffer defeat in his next bout. On October 31, 2020, he was stopped in six rounds by WBA 140-pound Champion Mario Barrios at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. An accidental clash of heads opened a bad cut on Karl's forehead in the fateful round. He was stropped moments later.

"I feel fine but it was a hard shot that I got hit with," said Karl. "It was a tough, good, close fight. It was a good headbutt. I was bleeding pretty good but overall I feel fine. I'm not a sore loser. I come to fight, that's what I expected. So congratulations to Mario on the win. We'll move on from here."

Karl bounced back from that loss on August 7, 2021, winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Edgar Ramirez at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Then on February 5, 2022, he would lose a hard-fought 10 round unanimous decision to Omar Juarez.