After a lengthy legal session between Ryan Garcia’s attorneys and the New York State Athletic Commission, an agreement was finally reached. The fighter who tested positive for a banned substance after his fight with Devin Haney has been placed on a one-year suspension and fined $1.1 million. Garcia is also required to pay a state fine of $10,000 and will have to forfeit his contract with Golden Boy Promotions.
The athlete’s win against Haney was also overturned, and some of the fine money will be given to Haney. Following this announcement, Garcia’s team is adamant about maintaining ignorance, disclosing that the substance got into the players’ system through contamination.
“ Ryan Garcia was a victim of substance contamination, with levels measured in the billions and trillions of a gram, which provided no advantage whatsoever in the ring.
“Ryan, with his legal team, has resolved the issue and firmly maintains his truth. He never intentionally took any banned substance.” Garcia’s team said in a statement to ESPN. “It’s simply not in his nature. For many years, Ryan has voluntarily submitted to random testing, even during out-of-competition periods, and has never had any issues. He maintained an impeccable and clean record throughout his career. Significantly elevating and transcending the sport of boxing, earning respect and admiration from millions of fans worldwide.
“The fans will always remember his performance against Haney as a masterclass, and that will never be erased. Ryan will continue to elevate the sport and will be actively involved in advocating for reform. We hope future changes in our system will address issues like this one.
“We want to thank all of the fans who have continued to support Ryan, not only during the great moments but also through the difficult times that life brings. He will be back in the ring soon and better than ever!”
On the other hand, Garcia took this decision to heart and went on to rant on different posts on X. He continued to stand on his innocence, saying, “… I don’t care what everyone says. Gun to my head, I say I didn’t take PEDs.” He also made claims about retiring for the year and calling out UFC CEO Dana White to hit him up.
His opponent, Devin Haney, was pretty thrilled about the news. In a phone interview with ESPN on Thursday, the fighter spoke about his feelings about the news.
“I want to thank the commission and the fans who stood by me during this whole process. The facts are the facts, and I wasn’t on an even playing field. Happy I was able to receive just for what happened. It’s all part of my story, and it’s only going to make me better. I look forward to enjoying this time with my family and friends and see what’s next.
“I’m a clean athlete and boxing is a brutal sport where one fight can literally change your life. I think it is important for fighters to be clean. I want to become an advocate for clean athletes for my experience in this situation.”
