Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell
During the pandemic period, on January 2, 2021, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Ryan Garcia competed for his first major milestone, a WBC Interim title. Britain’s Luke Campbell won gold at the 2012 Olympics, but his foray into the professional ranks had not been the lasting success many had hoped or expected.
Boxing just after the start of the year, Campbell hit Garcia hard in the second round and dropped him for the time being as a professional. Ryan fought back and delivered a heavy body blow on Luke “Cool Hand” in the seventh round to end the contest. Losing for the fourth and final time, Campbell hung up his gloves.
Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia
On April 22, 2023, Gervonta Davis boxed Ryan Garcia at lightweight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Contest preparation oscillated between touchpoints, even though Ryan had not yet descended into the world of conspiratorial meddling. Arriving late for his press obligations, Gervonta Davis claimed he had a mole in Garcia’s camp, providing him with vital information. Once again, Ryan Garcia tried to assert his physical dominance during their press meetings.
When the The fight finally happened, Garcia was dropped in the second round and, despite being in fantastic shape, still succumbed to a crunching body shot as “Tank” dissected his ribs in the seventh. There was no shame in defeat, although some felt that “King Ry” accepted his fate a little too easily. The Californian had his moments but struggled with Davis’ left-handed jab and next-level punching power.
Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia
After losing to Gervonta Davis, Garcia signed to fight his former amateur rival Devin Haney almost a year later. A former undisputed and undefeated king, Haney was the favorite for the fight. Even though Devin could have thoroughly analyzed Ryan’s physical abilities, he couldn’t legislate for his opponent’s emotional well-being.
Shutting down opponents to win shutout decisions is Haney’s modus operandi. Silencing Garcia was a whole new game. In the build-up, Floyd Mayweather released training footage of Haney and Tank. Designed to provoke mischief, the images fanned the fires further while keeping Mayweather’s name relevant in another contemporary dispute.
On April 20, 2024, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney fought at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, at the DAZN pay-per-view. During the build-up, there were several flashpoints online and in person as Ryan Garcia clashed with Devin and his father, Bill Haney. Garcia knocked out Devin Haney, injuring and dropping him in the seventh, 10th and 11th rounds. Ryan Garcia was deducted a point in the seventh round for punching on the break.
Garcia won a majority decisionwhich was later overturned and upgraded to a no contest after Garcia tested positive for the use of Ostarine, a performance-enhancing drug. Haney would then file a lawsuit for fraud, battery and breach of contract, seeking unspecified damages claiming that Garcia used methods outside of the agreed-upon set of rules to win the competition.
Social media controversy
Once a darling of social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, it was becoming increasingly apparent that Ryan Garcia was spending too much time online, living his life through a digital lens, leading to erratic behavior. Ahead of the Devin Haney contest, drug-fueled confessions led to calls for annulment and a thorough assessment of the Californian’s psyche and suitability for the most brutal profession. Ryan appeared as a fragile pseudo-celebrity struggling with the pressures of fame and everyday reality.
Before the Devin Haney fight, Ryan Garcia addressed various topics, claiming he was kidnapped and spent time in Bohemian Grove. This location in San Francisco is said to be home to secret groups. Garcia claimed that evil acts were committed against him at that time and even discussed alien abduction during the series of online posts.
Garcia would later descend into the realms of racist language and religiophobia, showing that there is nothing off-limits as his career and life crisis persisted. In June 2024, he was kicked out of a Beverley Hills hotel and charged with causing damage to the property. It later emerged that her mother, Lisa, had been diagnosed with breast cancer around this time.
Failed drug test
Ryan Garcia was three pounds over contract weight for his fight with Devin Haney on April 20, meaning he was unable to win the WBC title, although the fight went ahead and Garcia paid a fine.
After defeating Haney, the banned substance Ostarine was discovered in Ryan Garcia’s system via two separate tests. The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) subsequently imposed a one-year ban on Garcia for this offense and the result of the content itself was overturned.
Ryan Garcia kicked out of WBC
On July 5, 2024, the World Boxing Council (WBC) announced that it had expelled Ryan Garcia from all activities within the organization. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman made the decision after Garcia posted racist slurs and Islamophobic comments on social media. Ryan Garcia later sent a semi-retraction claiming he was trolling. The Garcia family also released a statement distancing themselves from the comments, saying they don’t fit with how he was raised.
