Boxer Ryan Garcia has been officially suspended for one year following an agreement with the New York State Athletic Commission. This decision came after Garcia tested positive for ostarine, a performance-enhancing drug, during his fight against Devin Haney on April 20.
Details of the suspension
The 25-year-old’s victory against Devin Haney has been changed to a no-contest. Under the settlement, Garcia will forfeit his purse, which was approximately $1.2 million. Additionally, he was fined $10,000 by the commission. Garcia will be reinstated in April 2025 if his urine test comes back clean and drug-free.
Garcia’s reaction
Hours before the ban was announced, Garcia declared his retirement from boxing. He expressed his frustration on social media, stating, “They took my victory away.” He also mentioned that he plans to come out of retirement once the suspension is lifted. Garcia denied ever cheating and called Devin Haney a “crybaby.” He also hinted at a potential move to the UFC.
Official statements
Garcia’s team issued a statement emphasizing his history of clean tests and his contributions to the sport. They stated, “For many years, Ryan has voluntarily submitted to random testing, even during out-of-competition periods, and has never had any issues.” They also teased that Garcia will be “back in the ring.”
Devin Haney also released a statement thanking the commission and his supporters. He said, “The facts are the facts, and I wasn’t on an even playing field. Happy I was able to receive justice for what happened.” Haney emphasized the importance of clean athletes in boxing and expressed his desire to advocate for clean sports.
Future prospects
While Garcia’s suspension is a significant setback, his team and fans remain hopeful for his return to the ring. The boxing community will be watching closely to see how both Garcia and Haney move forward from this incident.
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