Devin Haney’s legal team sent the New York Commission an eight-page letter seeking to disqualify Ryan Garcia and declare Devin the winner of their fight on April 20th.
Haney was soundly beaten by Garcia by a three-knockdown, 12-round majority decision at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. According to Boxingscene, Haney’s legal team wanted Ryan to be disqualified and Haney became the winner of that fight due to these allegations:
1. Weight manipulation: Ryan came in overweight by 3.2 lbs, giving him an unfair advantage over Haney, who made weight at 140.
2. Prohibited use of IVs
3. PED use: Testing positive for banned PED Ostarine.
Potential Ramifications for Garcia
If the New York Commission agrees to these claims by Haney’s attorney, Ryan will lose the fight. This would give him a second career defeat, making his record 24-2. He would also likely be suspended and fined.
Haney’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is on record for saying he wants Ryan Garcia to be given a “lifetime ban” from boxing. That’s very unlikely to happen, given that this would be Ryan’s first offense, and there are many fighters who test positive repeatedly, and they’re not given lifetime bans.
Just for hypothetical purposes, if Ryan were given a lifetime ban, who’s to stop him from fighting outside of the U.S? That’s just so unlikely that Ryan would be given a lifetime ban that it’s silly to even consider it for a second.
Given his popularity, a six-month suspension would seem realistic for Ryan, but if it is a year, as some believe it could be, it would impact his career.
Public Perception and the Future
In the big scheme of things, it wouldn’t help Haney if Ryan receives a long suspension because that’s the biggest money fight he can get right now. Other than Gervonta Davis, Ryan is still the biggest money fight available for Haney.
I hate to say it but Haney wouldn’t come out of this looking good either, as he would be seen as a crybaby.
If Ryan is going to be on the shelf for a year or two because of a suspension. Haney doesn’t come out ahead. Yeah, Haney’s record would be 32-0, but he won’t make the kind of money fighting anyone else that he would against Ryan Garcia.
I seriously doubt Gervonta and Haney will fight between the Baltimore native and would want stipulations to keep Devin from rehydrating to the 160s, coming into the fight looking like a super middleweight.
