Devin Haney remains an undefeated fighter despite losing to Ryan Garcia after being knocked down three times.
Haney’s record is changed to 31-0 from 31-1 after the New York State Athletic Commission ruled on Garcia testing positive for ostarine in two separate tests. As World Boxing News reported and predicted, Garcia got far less than a two or four-year ban and will be back in the ring by April 2025.
His legal team sent WBN a statement denying wrongdoing. The document included that Garcia put on a masterclass and had minute traces in his system. Many dispute the latter.
“Ryan Garcia was a victim of substance contamination, with levels measured in the billions and trillions of a gram, which provided no advantage whatsoever in the ring,” they told WBN.
“Ryan, with his legal team, has resolved this issue and firmly maintains his truth: he never intentionally took any banned substance. It’s simply not in his nature.
“For many years, Ryan has voluntarily submitted to random testing. He even tested during out-of-competition periods and has never had any issues. He has maintained an impeccable and clean record throughout his career.
“During this time, Ryan significantly elevated and transcended the sport of boxing, earning respect and admiration from millions of fans worldwide.
“The fans will always remember his performance against Haney as a masterclass, which will never be erased.
“Ryan will continue to elevate the sport and will be actively involved in advocating for reform. We hope future changes in our system will address issues like this one.
“We want to thank all of the fans who have continued to support Ryan during the great moments and through the difficult times that life brings. He will be back in the ring soon and better than ever!”
In addition, Haney said, “Thank you, too, the commission, for doing the right thing & making the right decision. I don’t understand how Golden Boy is getting any money as if they took any punches. They haven’t even spoken out about this PED situation.”
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.