The day before Ryan Garcia stunned the boxing world with his anger at Devin Haney on April 20, the controversial boxer tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance ostarine, according to a letter from the Voluntary Association anti-doping obtained Wednesday by ESPN. News of the positive test was first shared by journalist Dan Rafael, who also reported that Garcia’s pre-fight sample tested positive for 19-norandrosterone.
Garcia denied using banned substances in a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday evening.
“Everyone knows I don’t cheat,” Garcia said. ” What can I say ? Why didn’t they reveal this before the fight if they had found it before? Why would they let me get in the ring as a cheater, then get the victory and post this? These are people trying to attack me for some reason.
Fake news like I’m Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/PVg5EW7yLd
– RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) May 2, 2024
According to the letter, the urine samples were taken before the fight, but the results were not known until later.
Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions said in a statement that it believed Garcia did not knowingly use any banned substances.
In a statement provided to ESPN, Haney said: “It is unfortunate that Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and becoming positive not once, but twice times.” Garcia weighed 3.2 pounds over the limit agreed between the two men before knocking down Haney three times during the fight and winning by majority decision as a major underdog.
Gentle chin music 🎶
Here are the 3 reversals @RyanGarcia delivered to @Realdevinhaney to ensure victory.#HaneyGarcia pic.twitter.com/18obAwynEE
– DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) April 21, 2024
“Ryan owes the fans an apology, and by his recent tweet, he still thinks it’s a joke,” Haney told ESPN. “We put our lives on the line to entertain people and make a living. You don’t play boxing. …It puts the fight in a completely different light.
The fight result could be overturned unless Garcia’s B sample – the urine or blood sample used in doping tests to confirm or refute the conclusion of the first sample – returns negative. He has 10 days to request to be tested.
The win improved Garcia’s record to 25-1, but would likely be changed to a no-contest if test samples are confirmed positive.
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(Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)