Ryan Garcia aka “King Ry” won his match against WBC super lightweight champion, David Haney on Saturday, April 20, but was not awarded the title. In recent times, controversy seems to have followed García, and he has kept boxing fans on the edges of their seats as they praise his skills while also praying for his mental health following a series of erratic social media posts and public accusations. His latest stunt, apparently drinking a beer during a crucial weigh-in, is the most recent in a series of tumultuous moments for the potential great. Here, M&F catches you up on the drama, and hopes that Ryan Garcia can find his focus once again to realize his potential as an all-time elite boxer.
Why are people talking about Ryan Garcia?
Garcia has only lost one professional fight. After being knocked out by Gervonta Davis, he told M&F that he would use that loss to fuel future victories, and after winning both of his fights since then, “King Ry” is a man of his word when it comes to performing in the squared circle. Some of Garcia’s words outside the ring, however, have been problematic. The fighter has taken to social media to claim that he has predicted tragedies such as the collapsing of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, and has called Logan Paul and KSI “Satanic” and, he’s also been vocal about subjects like child sex trafficking, claiming to have inside information on P. Diddy and associating his opponent David Haney with the accused rapper, who has not yet been formerly charged. The drama outside of the ring has, for many boxing fans, become an unwelcome sideshow that is distracting from the potential of the 25-year-old fighter, who has knocked out 20 opponents in his 26 pro fight career.
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Why was Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney not for the WBC super lightweight title?
The bout took place on April 20, 2024, at the Barclays Center in New York, but the title was not on the line as had been previously agreed. This was due to Garcia missing weight in a debacle that saw him chugging a bottle of what appeared to be beer on the scales. While pundits were concerned for Garcia’s mental and physical health before the bell rang, “King Ry” knocked Devin down three times before ultimately winning on points on Saturday, taking the match but not the belt. Still, those were understandably concerned for the winner’s wellbeing were handed more reasons to worry during the post-match press conference, when Garcia suggested that he had “drank every single night” before the Haney fight. One wonders how much of this beer drinking is bravado however, as Jake Paul later suggested the beverage consumed on the scales was actually a soft drink, as shown in a TikTok posted by @Betr that appears to relay a video call between Paul and Garcia. “It was apple juice and sparkling water,” confirms Garcia. “I literally like, just poured it out, we were like watch, people are gonna go crazy for this sh*t … a lot of people think that this sh*t’s real .. I just been, like, f*cking around.“
Garcia, who does have a history of alcohol addiction, may be playing mind games with his opponents, luring them into a false sense of security as they underestimate him ahead of a fight, but “King Ry’s” failure to make weight, and his past honesty about depression and alcohol issues still has many people concerned. With a solid victory at the weekend, here’s hoping that Garcia can become more focused on the action inside the ropes and work towards being the incredible fighter than he is on the verge of becoming.
