Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney are poised for a high-stakes encounter on April 20 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. This bout has captured significant attention, not only for the skills of the fighters but also due to Garcia’s controversial actions leading up to the fight.
In a series of bewildering events, Garcia has claimed incidents such as being kidnapped and witnessing heinous crimes, which have puzzled many onlookers.
His behavior escalated during fight week, where he failed to meet the required weight, tipping the scales at over three pounds above the limit. Further stirring the pot, Garcia appeared to consume a beer during the ceremonial weigh-ins.
Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney: Anticipation Builds Amidst Controversy
Originally set as a WBC super lightweight title fight, Garcia’s inability to gain weight means the title will no longer be contested in this bout.
Eddie Hearn, co-promoter for Haney, spoke to Fight Hub TV, predicting a dramatic conclusion reminiscent of Roberto Duran’s famous “No Más” surrender. Hearn said:
“The guy is having a time at the moment. But when you watch him shadow box, all the attributes that could win him the fight still exist. Speed and power… Maybe the way he’s at will help him be more aggressive… Or maybe he just goes, ‘That’s not for me.’ And gets out the ring.”
Hearn speculated further about Garcia’s potential in-ring decision:
“[I think] he’ll be, ‘No más!’ on the stool. I think he’ll get schooled, and I think he’ll get hurt and I think he’ll sit on his stool and go, ‘Nah.'” Watch Hearn’s prediction for Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia below from 0:40:
Financial Implications of the Weight Miss
During the final pre-fight press conference, a significant bet was made between Haney and Garcia. They agreed that if either fighter weighed over the 140-pound limit, they would incur a $500,000 penalty per pound.
Following Garcia’s miss, Haney confirmed via a post on X that Garcia had honored the bet, leading to a $1.5 million fine for Garcia. Haney expressed this in his post:
“Ryan honored the $500k per pound..”
Ryan honored the 500k per pound..
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) April 19, 2024
Garcia also addressed the situation on X, explaining his decision to not pursue further weight cutting:
“I did not want to drain myself by cutting the additional three pounds,”
he said, emphasizing his readiness,
“I am here to win.”
