Ryan Garcia, the 24-year-old boxer, has been banned from the sport for one year and will forfeit $1.1 million from his fight against Devin Haney. The decision comes after Garcia tested positive for ostarine in VADA tests before and on the day of the fight, which was initially won by Garcia via majority decision.
Garcia’s team has reached a settlement with the New York State Athletic Commission, which includes overturning the win over Haney to a no contest. Garcia will also have to pay a $10,000 fine, the maximum allowed by the state.
Garcia’s team maintains that the boxer did not intentionally take a banned substance, citing “substance contamination” as the reason for the positive test. They also highlighted Garcia’s clean record throughout his career and his commitment to advocating for reform in the sport.
Devin Haney, who lost his first professional fight to Garcia, expressed gratitude to the commission and fans for their support during the process. He also emphasized the importance of clean athletes in the sport and his desire to become an advocate for clean athletes.
The no contest result marks the first loss for both boxers, but Haney will not have a loss in his record due to the settlement. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of clean athletes in the sport of boxing.
