Ryan Garcia Tests Positive For PEDs, Denies Using
Junior Welterweight Shocked Many With Win Over Devin Haney
The world of boxing is always unpredictable, both in and out of the ring. The sport was rocked with an upset in the junior welterweight division on April 20. Ryan Garcia defied boxing predictions and defeated Devin Haney via majority decision, handing him his first professional loss. But now comes an equally shocking development: Garcia tested positive.
The underdog “popped” for the performance-enhancing substance ostarine. He tested positive during the day of the fight and before. The test result now casts a large shadow over the result fight’s result. This won’t affect boxing bets from the fight but it could affect how bettors see Garcia and Haney in future fights.
Garcia vehemently denies the positive test results for a PED, saying he never knowingly took any banned substance.
Controversial Fight
Even before the fight, Garcia had some problems. The 25-year-old didn’t make weight for the match, registering 143.2 pounds for the WBC 140-pound title fight.
Rather than upset the boxing schedule, Garcia paid Haney up to $600,000 for failing to make weight so the two boxers could keep the fight on.
The bout was also held without Haney’s title being up for grabs. So even though Garcia defeated the champion, PED test or not, he did not win the title.
Still, Garcia had a lot to gain with the win, though that might all be in jeopardy with the positive test. He’s never won a world title. But given his win, he could have another title shot soon.
Vehement Denial
Garcia, who has a huge social media following, went onto X (formerly Twitter) to issue a video denial of the PED-positive test.
“Everybody knows that I don’t cheat,” Garcia said in a video posted on the social platform. “Never taken a steroid … I don’t even know where to get steroids. … I barely take supplements. Big lies.”
He went on a minute-long, profanity-laced rant that he had not taken any PEDs, blaming others for “trying to get” him, with two unidentified people in the video with him. It did not exactly help his case.
Fake news like if I was Donald trump pic.twitter.com/PVg5EW7yLd
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) May 2, 2024
Garcia was unhappy about the report that the test before the fight had found the PED, yet he was allowed to fight. ESPN reported that the test was taken before the fight. However, the result was not known until after the bout.
Golden Boy Promotions said in a statement that it is working with Garcia and his handlers to “determine how this finding came to be.”
“Ryan has put out multiple statements denying knowingly using any banned substances – and we believe him,” the company said in a statement.
Haney’s Side Of Things
For Haney, the loss hurt him, even if he didn’t lose his title. He fell in multiple rankings after suffering the first loss of his pro career. He also got knocked down three times in the fight.
“We learned about this situation not too long ago and it’s unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice,” Haney said in a statement to ESPN.
“Ryan owes the fans an apology, and by his recent tweet, he still thinks this is a joke. We put our lives on the line to entertain people for a living. You don’t play boxing. This puts the fight in a completely different light. Despite the disadvantage, I still fought on my shield and got back up! People die in this sport. This isn’t a joking matter.”
Garcia has 10 days to request that his B-sample be tested to try to confirm his innocence. It is rare to have a B-sample come back clean after the A-sample didn’t, but that would be the next step Garcia could take to confirm his innocence.
The Californian could be facing a ban for PED use if the second sample shows the same result. And even after a ban was over, he would always have the “Ryan Garcia positive for PEDs” reputation to live down.
For Boxing betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
