Ryan Garcia is banned by the NYSAC for one year and faces further penalties

Ryan Garcia has been suspended for one year and must return his guaranteed prize money, and his April 20 victory over Devin Haney was converted to a no-contest, the New York State Athletic Commission announced Thursday.

Garcia (24-1), 25, was also fined $10,000.

Garcia tested positive for the banned performance-enhancing substance Ostarine twice on the day of the fight and the day before. The “B” sample was also positive. While Garcia is adamant that he did not knowingly take any performance-enhancing drugs, WBC middleweight titleholder Haney denies this assumption and says he cannot remember ever being hit as badly as he was in this fight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Garcia shocked Haney with two left hooks in the first round, managed three more knockdowns and eventually won by majority decision.

Haney’s record is once again flawless at 31-0.

But the damage from this fight still affects the fighter from Las Vegas.

After receiving eight figures to fight Garcia, Haney learned this week that the purse for his mandatory title defense against Spaniard Sandor Martin only attracted a single bid from Top Rank. Haney’s purse in that scenario would be just over $1.6 million, a significant drop in value from its current value.

Garcia’s suspension is dated April 20 and is considered an indefinite suspension, as he will be subject to random doping tests at a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City for the entire duration of his suspension.

The $10,000 fine must be paid by the New York State Athletic Commission, and $1.2 million in guaranteed prize money must be paid back to Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. Haney is believed to receive an undisclosed percentage of that money.

On Thursday, Victor Conte, Haney’s conditioning adviser and notorious BALCO personality, said: “Garcia’s announcement on Wednesday that he is retiring adds an interesting twist to the testing requirement during the lockdown period.”

“Is the reason for his retirement that he wants to avoid doping tests?” asked Conte. “If he doesn’t get tested, he’s breaking the rules, right?”

“Nobody seems to know the answer, but it’s a very important question. I believe that if you struggle through all the hurdles and tests, you don’t deserve the license. The most important thing is that he has to do random testing.”

In a post on Garcia’s X-account on Thursday, he reiterated his threat to retire: “I really hope boxing is fine without me. I have fought everyone and I was ready to fight. They turned their backs on me. I am innocent. I stand by that. I don’t care what anyone says. With guns to my head, I say I did not take any performance enhancing drugs.”

A few minutes later, he added posts saying, “Boxing is dead” and “I’m going to expose the whole game. Says Cheese. Boxing is messing with the wrong guy.”

Haney also posted on X, thanking the commission for “doing the right thing” and “making the right decision.”

Haney said: “I, VADA and the Commission should share the money.”

Haney also indicated at X that he himself would be taking a break: “I’ll be back in a year. I’ve already had all the belts. From now on, I’ll fight in the weight class I choose.”

Haney also took to social media to express his anger that Garcia would be stripped of all of his earnings, including his pay-per-view cut, starting April 20.

“We all know fighters take small guarantees and bet on PPV numbers,” Haney posted on X.

Garcia’s lawyer insisted he was a “victim of substance contamination,” adding that taking banned drugs was “simply not in his nature.”

“Ryan has voluntarily submitted to random testing over many years, even out of competition, and has never had any problems,” the legal department said in a statement.Ryan will continue to move the sport forward and actively advocate for reform. We hope that future changes to our system will address issues like this.

“We want to thank all the fans who have continued to support Ryan, not only in the great moments, but also in the difficult times that life brings. He will be back in the ring soon and better than ever!”