Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell
During a period affected by the pandemic, on January 2, 2021, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Ryan Garcia fought for his first major milestone, the interim WBC title. Britain’s Luke Campbell won gold at the 2012 Olympics, but his breakthrough into the professional ranks wasn’t the lasting success many had hoped or expected.
Boxing just after the turn of the year, Campbell hit Garcia hard in the second round and knocked him out on time as a pro. Ryan fought back and delivered a vicious blow to ‘Cool Hand’ Luke 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 in a lightweight bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The lead-up to the contest vacillated between points of contact, although Ryan had not yet descended into the world of conspiratorial interference. Arriving late for their press commitments, Gervonta Davis claimed to have a mole at Camp Garcia, who was feeding them back vital information. Once again, Ryan Garcia tried to assert his physical dominance in their press conference.
When is it the fight eventually happened, Garcia was knocked out in the second round and, despite being in fantastic shape, still succumbed to a powerful blow as ‘Tank’ dissected his ribs in the seventh. There was no shame in the manner of defeat, although some felt that ‘King Ry’ accepted his fate too easily. The Californian had his moments, but struggled with Davis’ southpaw and next-level punching power.
Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia
After losing to Gervonta Davis, Garcia signed a contract to fight old amateur rival Devin Haney almost a year later. An undefeated former undisputed king, Haney was the favorite for the fight. While Devin may have thoroughly analyzed Ryan’s physical abilities, he couldn’t legislate for his opponent’s emotional well-being.
Shutting down opponents to get shutout decisions is Haney’s modus operandi. Shutting Garcia up was a whole new game. In preparation, Floyd Mayweather released footage of Haney and Tank sparring. Designed to cause mischief, the images fueled the fire a little more while keeping Mayweather’s name relevant in yet another modern feud.
On April 20, 2024, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney fought at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, on a DAZN pay-per-view. During the buildup, there were several flashpoints online and in person as Ryan Garcia clashed with Devin and his father, Bill Haney. Garcia surprised Devin Haney, injured him and knocked him out in the seventh, 10th and 11th rounds. Ryan Garcia had a point deducted in the seventh round for a stoppage strike.
Garcia won the majority decisionwhich was later overturned and changed to a no-compete after Garcia tested positive for the use of Ostarine, a performance-enhancing drug. Haney then filed suit alleging fraud, damage and breach of contract, seeking unspecified damages claiming that Garcia used methods outside the agreed upon set of rules to win the contest.
Controversies on social networks
Once a darling of social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, it became increasingly apparent that Ryan Garcia was spending too much time online, living his life through a digital prism, resulting in erratic behavior. Ahead of Devin Haney’s competition, drug-fueled admissions led to calls for cancellation and an in-depth assessment of the Californian’s psyche and ability to handle the most brutal of occupations. Ryan emerged as a fragile pseudo-celebrity struggling with the pressures of fame and everyday reality.
Before his fight with Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia spoke about various topics, claiming that he was kidnapped and spent time in Bohemian Grove. This location in San Francisco is said to house secret groups. Garcia claimed that he was the victim of atrocities at the time and even discussed alien abduction during a series of online posts.
Garcia would later descend into the realm of racist language and religiophobia, proving that nothing was off limits as his career and life crisis continued. In June 2024, he was kicked out of a Beverly Hills hotel and charged with criminal damage. It later transpired that his mother, Lisa, was diagnosed with breast cancer around this time.
Failed drug test
Ryan Garcia was three pounds over the weight limit for his fight with Devin Haney on April 20, meaning he could not win the WBC title, although the fight went ahead and Garcia paid the penalty.
After defeating Haney, banned substance Ostarine was discovered in Ryan Garcia’s system through two separate tests. The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) later imposed a one-year ban on Garcia for the infraction, and the score itself was overturned.
Ryan Garcia kicked out of the WBC
On July 5, 2024, the World Boxing Council (WBC) announced that it had suspended Ryan Garcia from all activities within the organization. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman made the decision after Garcia posted racial slurs and Islamophobic language 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 comment, saying they did not agree with the way he was raised.
