Following his controversial fight with Devin Haney and a positive drugs test, Ryan Garcia has agreed to a minimum one-year ban and seen his win officially ruled a no contest
Ryan Garcia and his legal team have agreed to a one-year ban from boxing following his positive test for PEDs.
It was confirmed on Thursday that a settlement agreement had been reached between Garcia, his legal team, and the New York State Athletic Commission, which regulates professional combat sports. The agreement states that Garcia will be suspended for at least one year and forfeit his $1.1 million (£870,000) fight purse.
To make matters worse for Garcia, a percentage of his purse may go to his opponent Devin Haney. The state has also fined Garcia $10,000 (£7,900) which is maximum allowed. Garcia’s win has been voided, and Haney remains undefeated, as the fight has officially been declared as a no contest.
Haney posted on social media as soon as the ban was announced, writing on X: “Allah is the perfect planner he makes no mistakes. Alhamdulillah.” Haney later added: “Thank you to the commission for doing the right thing and making the right decision. I don’t understand how golden boy is getting any money as if they took any punches. They haven’t even spoke out about this PED situation.”
Garcia has maintained his innocence throughout and denied any allegations of taking steroids, but will not be allowed to professionally compete until next summer. He continues to maintain his innocence despite the agreement and voiced his anger on social media.
“Nothing that was in my system was enough for any!!!!!!! This is why I’m done with the game I never ——- cheated,” he wrote on X. Garcia’s urine samples flagged positive for Ostarine, a drug that attaches to proteins in the body known as androgen receptors.
The purpose of Ostarine is to bind with those receptors and encourage muscle growth. Ostarine is not approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) but can sometimes be found in supplements.
Initially, Garcia claimed that his natural substances had been contaminated, blaming NutraBIO super carb raspberry lemonade and strawberry-flavoured Body Heath Perfect Amino as the cause for his positive tests. The two samples were collected the day before his fight with Haney and directly after his shock win, one that no longer stands.
Garcia was a 5/1 underdog to beat Haney but dominated ‘The Dream’ and cruised to a decision victory. Garcia knocked Haney down on three occasions and almost won via stoppage, but saw his hand raised in the air once the decision rested with the judges. Garcia was not eligible to win Haney’s title belt due to being overweight for the fight, and now won’t be in a position to win one for at least 12 months.
It’s turned into a costly event for Garcia, as he already paid Haney $1.5 million before the bout even took place. A bet agreed during the press conferences meant that either fighter would have to pay the other $500,000 for each pound they were over the weight limit, and Garcia was three pounds over. Garcia also bet on himself to win the fight, and now has seen his purse revoked following the urine sample controversy.
