Is it a Garling downscale or again a Rocks upscale ?
It's just depends on the type of readers. For the ones who only think about fights (the childish ones) it's either a downscale of the character who lost or upscale of the character who won. That's it. The boring way to read One Piece (I ask myself why they do it in the first place)
For the ones who are more into the story and complexity of the narrative it's just a really good flashback in which we see some characters already seen in their younger years. A period where they were more foolish and naive (just look at Roger, Kaido, Big Mom, Newgate etc) but they feels more real than ever while you're able to see a younger side of a character.
It's probably the same with Garling, which I think is not strong like he will be in the future. A lost fight does not make him a bad character, does not even make him lose "aura" like a lot of youngster like to say to this day. If he lose here, Garling will probably grows as a character, it will change him and make him more "real". There is something more than a win or a lose. I don't know if the people who only think about "aura" will understand this, maybe when they will grow up. Maybe.