What happened with Ryan Garcia? PR nightmare, PED drama, suspension, and more

Ryan Garcia was on a collision course with WBC super lightweight (140-pound) champion Devin Haney earlier this year. Leading up to their fight, which was set for April 20, 2024, Garcia's actions and comments generated significant buzz in the sports realm and beyond.

The 25-year-old suggested that he was being targeted by the Illuminati, a supposed clandestine group of elites who conspire to dominate the world. Additionally, the American indicated that he'd been assaulted as a child and that a pedophile group had forced him to watch minors being sexually assaulted.

In various social media posts, and interactions with influencers such as Andrew Tate, Ryan Garcia opined that he'll eventually unravel the evidence and expose the elites who spearheaded such crimes.

Many netizens supported him, pointing out that he'd courageously addressed long-running rumors regarding pedophile rings and other criminal groups carrying out large-scale child abuse and other grievous crimes. Alternatively, others accused 'KingRy' of fueling unfounded rumors and using sensitive topics to grab attention and hype his fight.

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Ryan Garcia's PR backlash and weight-miss fiasco

In Jan. 2024, Ryan Garcia announced his divorce from his wife, Andrea Celina, around an hour after they announced the birth of their child. A father to multiple children, he was criticized for the divorce announcement's timing, which was deemed insensitive against Celina.

Besides, after one of his social media posts insinuated that his death was around the corner, Celina urged fans to pray for him. She pointed out that they weren't together but they'd been in touch and he wasn't fine. Garcia's myriad of assertions about being targeted by malevolent global elites and his overall demeanor raised concerns regarding his well-being.

Ryan Garcia previously dealt with depression, which added to fans' worries about the popular fighter's mental and holistic health. In addition, he'd suffered his first professional boxing defeat the previous year, losing to Gervonta Davis via seventh-round KO in April 2023, though he did bounce back with an eighth-round KO win against Oscar Duarte last December.

Garcia was a huge underdog heading into his long-awaited grudge match against the undefeated WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney, a rival he'd gone 3-3 against in the amateurs.

'KingRy' weighed in at 143.2 pounds, 3.2 pounds above the title bout weight limit. Incidentally, before their fight, he'd bet that he'd pay Haney $500k per extra pound if he came in overweight. Ergo, Garcia forfeited a sum of over $1.5 million to Haney. Meanwhile, 'The Dream' made weight and was eligible to retain his title, whereas Garcia wouldn't be crowned champion even if he won.

'KingRy' also seemingly chugged a bottle of beer at the weigh-ins, eliciting massive backlash. Regardless, he later asserted that the bottle contained sparkling water and apple juice. He did note, however, that he "got in there high as f**k," implying his usage of weed heading into the Haney matchup.

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Ryan Garcia's victory, PED drama, suspension, and more

Ryan Garcia knocked Devin Haney down thrice in their 12-round fight that went the distance. Despite earning a majority decision victory against 'The Dream,' he wasn't awarded the WBC super lightweight title. Instead, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed that as Garcia missed weight, Haney retained his title.

Moreover, in May 2024, reports emerged that Garcia had tested positive for a banned PED (Performance Enhancing Drug). Garcia's urine sample collected by VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) from the day before and of the fight tested positive for the SARM (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator), ostarine. He scoffed at the allegations and had his B sample opened, which also tested positive for ostarine.

Garcia claimed his hair had tested negative. His team subsequently acknowledged the VADA drug test failure. Garcia and Co. attributed the failure to a tainted supplement. As reported by ESPN, a couple of supplements he'd listed on his drug testing form did contain traces of ostarine. However, critics questioned the credibility of the chain of custody of the unsealed supplement containers.

Furthermore, on June 20, 2024, the NYSAC (New York State Athletic Commission) handed Ryan Garcia a one-year suspension. He also agreed to forfeit his disclosed fight purse (upwards of $1.1 million), which would go to his promoter (Golden Boy Promotions), a percentage of which could go to Haney.

'KingRy' faced an additional $10k NYSAC fine, and the Haney matchup's verdict was overturned to an NC (No Contest). Garcia later lambasted the decision, signaling that he'll leave boxing and head to the UFC. That said, with the UFC being the top US-based MMA organization, they're unlikely to welcome him before his suspension (April 20, 2024-April 20, 2025) ends.

The consensus is that though Garcia has announced his retirement, he's one of boxing's biggest stars and would box again after serving his suspension, perhaps in a rematch against Haney.