In a notable fight that took place at Barclays Center on April 20, 2024, Ryan Garcia won against Devin Haney by majority decision. Garcia knocked Haney down three times in this fight, giving himself a surprising victory despite not making enough weight to take Haney’s championship belt.
Right from the beginning of the match, Garcia’s powerful left hook staggered Haney. After six rounds, Haney was ahead on points, but Garcia turned the tide in round seven with a powerful left hook, followed by a short punch that sent Haney to the floor for the first time. Garcia was deducted a point after hitting Haney while the referee called for a stop to the fight.
Garcia continued to knock Haney down a second time in round ten and again in round eleven with decisive punches. As a result, Garcia won with scores of 112-112, 114-110, and 115-109 from the judges, improving his record to 25-1 with 20 knockouts.
Although he was not eligible to win the belt due to exceeding the weight limit, Garcia’s victory over Haney was still a great achievement, affirming his talent and determination in the boxing industry. This match also marked the first time Haney suffered defeat in his professional career.
Accordingly, after the victory, Ryan Garcia was investigated due to suspicion of using stimulants (doping) during the match. Blood test results returned not long after found the muscle growth enhancer Ostarine, and Ryan Garcia was at risk of having his win taken away.
Although he as well as his representative company, Golden Boy Promotion, tried their best to protest the incident, when even his second sample returned the same result, almost everything was over.
“KingRy” was officially sanctioned by the New York State Athletic Disciplinary Committee with the following items: Suspended for at least 1 year (returning on April 20, 2025); Forfeiture of his $1.1 million official contract compensation (which will go to Golden Boy Promotions, with Devin Haney possibly receiving a portion); $10,000 fine (maximum state fine).
Ryan Garcia’s team just released a new statement where they mentioned that “one thing remains clear – Ryan Garcia defeated Devin Haney, and this result will never be erased from the public eye.”
Declare:
“There is a lot of misinformation being spread about Ryan Garcia.
However, the indisputable facts are as follows: his positive test was the result of contaminated dietary supplements, of which he was unaware; Subsequent laboratory testing of the supplements proved to be in the billions per gram; and, the two positive tests are billions and billions, which each time the expert will prove to have absolutely no performance benefit. (Emphasis added)
“On the issue of weight, Haney could have chosen to stop the fight, due to the weight clause, but instead, negotiated heavily and agreed to the “cash grab” and the fight.
“There was never any intention on Ryan’s part, and the facts reiterate this, to gain an advantage over Haney. To be clear, Ryan Garcia’s only advantage over Devin Haney is that he is simply a high-end fighter.
“Make no mistake, there are many agendas that have been at play since Ryan’s clear and convincing victory over Haney, and all of those agendas are aimed against King Ryan.
No matter what those shows are, one thing remains clear – Ryan Garcia defeated Devin Haney, and this result will never be erased from the public and media. ”
