Ryan Garcia will serve a year-long ban from the sport of boxing after failing two tests for banned substance Ostarine the day before and the day of his fight with Devin Haney.
Garcia upset the odds when he dropped the WBC Super-Lightweight Champion three times on the way to a majority decision win in April. He took only bragging rights, the belt not being on the line due to him missing weight by three pounds.
That victory lap was short-lived when news broke of the performance enhancing drug in his system around fight night and, despite claiming contamination, the New York State Athletic Commission has handed him a suspension, fine, removal of his contracted purse and changed the win to a no-contest on official records.
Seconds Out has gathered some reactions from the fall-out…
Ryan Garcia
“I really hope boxing good without me. I fought everyone and was willing to. They have turned their back on me. I’m innocent, I stand by that I don’t care what everyone says. Gun to my head I say I didn’t take PEDs.”
“Give me my money back Haney that fight never happened I need my money back.”
“Took my victory away when I didn’t do s**t I can’t believe the people let this s**t happen to me.”
Devin Haney
“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.
No BS thugho I’m happy it’s wasn’t a DQ because I wouldn’t wanna win like that. Once this suspension is over Ryan Garcia let’s run it back. CLEAN on a even playing field. Biggest fight in boxing!”
Regis Prograis
“It’s only dirty when it happens to you.”
Claressa Shields
“Sit your ass down Ryan Garcia! Congrats Devin Haney! He’s suspended a year! Rightfully so!”
Tim Bradley
“Me being a former fighter and knowing how serious it is to be a clean athlete, you have a responsibility, this goes in any sport not just boxing, to make sure you’re taking supplements that you trust … Contaminated or not, he was dirty. That’s just is. Ostarine was in his system. A performance enhancing drug. So he has to deal with the consequences. A year? He lucky he got a year. Should’ve been two years. S**t, a life ban.”
via FightHype
Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre
“Man, I’mma tell you like this. I ain’t got nothing to do with it. I don’t care. And just do what they gotta do, move on and get back to their careers. Simple as that.”
via FightHype
Paulie Malignaggi
“If you just accept the guilty verdict and move on I think this will blow over. We don’t live in a very intelligent generation. Guys that have failed PED tests are first ballot Hall of Famers. It’s not like baseball where there’s consequences, so this can blow over easily. Canelo got a six month suspension when he failed, that’s his break between fights anyway. Ryan Garcia is popular enough where it won’t be a huge deal and people will look forward to seeing him back if he just lets this blow over instead of fighting back against what seems to be an obviously guilty situation.”
via Pro Box TV
Shawn Porter
“The number one thing he’s gonna do is stay relevant on social media because people wanna see him, and beyond that I would hope he doesn’t just blow his money, get out of shape and move like he actually is retired. I don’t think there’s an ounce in his body that believes he’s actually retired so the worst thing he can do is say it on social media and live out what he’s saying.”
via Pro Box TV
O’Shaquie Foster
“I would love for guys that pop dirty to get lifetimes bans, but I do understand they can’t start with Ryan Garcia. There’s been several guys that’s tested positive before him and they’re able to fight again. I just feel like they gotta put their foot down and say anybody else that pop dirty for PEDs then it’s a lifetime ban. I feel like it’ll stop. A year is just a vacation.”
via Sean Zittel
