Professional boxer Ryan Garcia secured a majority decision win against Devin Haney April 20 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Concerns regarding Garcia’s ability to fight following alarming social media claims were quickly drowned out after Garcia knocked Haney down three times to seal the victory.
The show started before the fight even began, with Garcia chugging a beer after missing weight by 3.2 pounds at Friday’s official weigh-ins. This made him ineligible to win Haney’s lightweight title, and in response Garcia paid Haney $500,000 for every pound he was off.
Going into the ring, Garcia was a major underdog. He relied on his powerful left hook to turn the tide in the twelve round brawl. It worked in his favor, with one judge scoring the fight 112-112 just to be overruled by scores of 114-110 and 115-109 in favor of Garcia. However, because Garcia missed weight and lost his eligibility for the lightweight title, Haney remains the defending champion.
Aside from not gaining the title, Garcia knocked off ESPN’s No. 6 pound-for-pound boxer, and put the first loss on Haney’s record.
“I’m disappointed about my performance,” said Haney. “I [showed I] was a true champion and I could fight after being knocked down.”
Ahead of the fight, Haney also made comments on Garcia’s recent controversy, and was skeptical at points during training camp if the fight would even happen.
“We’re here now. That’s all that matters,” said Haney. “The stuff he’s doing is not normal. It’s obvious that something is wrong with him. But what he does outside the ring does not matter. It won’t change what I’m going to do to him inside the ring.”
Garcia, whose victory came after months of erratic behavior and concerning claims, joked about his recent controversy with the crowd during his in-ring interview.
“Come on guys, you really thought I was crazy,” said Garcia. “You guys lost your own mind.”
Garcia continued to reiterate his controversial claims after the fight, and has been very active on his Instagram and X accounts.
“[My] next fight is to save the children. I’m going front lines and I’ll be documenting it, pray for me,” said Garcia in an X post earlier today, alluding to previous posts where he claims elite members of the infamous Bohemian Grove “auction off kids.”
Garcia was required to complete a mental health evaluation by the New York State Athletic Commission ahead of the fight and he passed, but felt as if the evaluation was unfair to him.
Garcia’s promoter, Hall of Fame boxer Oscar De La Hoya, has acknowledged Garcia’s controversy, and said it has not distracted him.
“There’s fighters who need that chaos,” said De La Hoya. “There’s fighters who perform much better when there’s chaos. It almost blinds you from reality.”
Ryan Garcia’s majority decision win against Devin Haney showcased his resilience and skill, despite controversies surrounding his behavior leading up to the fight and even after the fight.
While missing weight cost him the opportunity to claim Haney’s lightweight title, Garcia’s victory solidified his position in the boxing world. With Garcia’s promoter acknowledging his ability to thrive amidst chaos, it remains to be seen how his career will unfold, both inside and outside of the ring.
