Ryan Garcia Continues to Make Headlines for All the Wrong Reasons
The troubled boxing star, Ryan Garcia, found himself in hot water again after being arrested by Beverly Hills police on Saturday. The exact reasons for his arrest remain unclear, but the incident occurred at the Beverly Hills Waldorf Astoria hotel. Garcia, shown shirtless and in handcuffs, had his face covered by a police helmet as he was escorted out of the hotel.
According to tabloid news site TMZ, Garcia (25-1, 20 knockouts) was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism at the luxury establishment. Allegedly, Garcia caused property damage in his room and the adjoining hallway. In California, any damage exceeding $400 qualifies as a felony.
Garcia’s attorneys informed The Ring that the 25-year-old from Victorville, California, was taken to a nearby hospital for substance treatment. They speculated that Garcia might be charged with public intoxication. However, attempts to confirm the vandalism charge with BHPD’s media relations department went unanswered at the time of publication.
This incident came just three days after local authorities performed a welfare check on Garcia at the same hotel. The check was prompted by an unnamed family member, but no wrongdoing was found during the visit.
Garcia’s arrest coincided with his public claims of not being paid for his April 20 bout against Devin Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Both Garcia and Haney took to social media, asserting that they were still owed money from the event.
Golden Boy Promotions, Garcia’s promoter and the lead for the DAZN Pay-Per-View event, refuted these claims. They stated that both fighters were paid the full fight purse listed on their contracts submitted to the New York State Athletic Commission. Any remaining payments would be issued once all final revenue streams were tabulated, which can take up to 90 days post-fight.
Concerns about Garcia’s mental health began at the start of the press tour for the Haney fight. His social media posts and statements became increasingly erratic, raising alarm among fans and the boxing community.
Despite these issues, Garcia won the fight by majority decision, scoring three knockdowns. However, the victory was marred by his failure to make weight, which cost him a shot at Haney’s WBC 140-pound title.
Further tarnishing his victory, Garcia tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine from samples collected on April 19 and April 20. Garcia claimed the substance came from contaminated supplements used during training camp. Test results from a WADA-accredited lab confirmed Ostarine in the supplements, but the containers submitted had broken seals, complicating the case.
Garcia is under investigation by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) for this infraction. He faces potential suspension, fines, and the possibility of his win being changed to a No-Contest or even a disqualification loss.
Ryan Garcia’s ongoing troubles continue to overshadow his career, casting a shadow on his achievements in the ring.
