Devin Haney has broken his silence following reports that Ryan Garcia tested positive for banned PEDs following their fight.
Garcia, 25, secured a majority decision victory over Haney last month in Brooklyn, going into the bout as an underdog but flooring his opponent three times over 12 captivating rounds at Barclays Center.
The win marked Garcia’ biggest victory of his career to date, and came after weeks of bizarre social media posts and rants in the buildup to the bout.
The high of the victory was soon turned into a major low, however, with boxing journalist Dan Rafael reporting on Thursday that the lightweight has returned a positive test for banned substance Ostarine.
The troubled boxer immediately took to social media to deny the claims Wednesday night, branding the reports ‘fake news’, and opponent Haney has now responded.
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Devin Haney has broken his silence after Ryan Garcia (pictured) reportedly tested positive for taking PEDs
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Haney, who lost to Garcia last month, slammed Garcia’s reaction to the reports and demanded an apology to fans
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Garcia secured a shock majority victory over his fellow American after knocking him down three times
Ryan Garcia denies claims that he ‘tested positive for banned PED’
In a statement made to ESPN, Haney said: ‘We learned about this situation not too long ago and it’s unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice.
‘I’ve always been an advocate for clean fighting and this is an example of such. Ryan owes the fans an apology, and by his recent tweet he still thinks this is a joke. We put our lives on the line to entertain people for a living. You don’t play boxing.
‘This puts the fight in a completely different light. Despite the disadvantage, I still fought on my shield and got back up!
‘People die in this sport. This is no laughing matter.’
Haney’s father and trained Bill Haney told Sports Illustrated: ‘You trying to hurt my baby.
‘We played it fair. We didn’t do it like that.
‘F*** boxing, this is some bulls***. I came from the streets.
‘You scared of Devin on a level playing field. I feel f***ed up over this.’
Garcia took to social media to deny the claims and also mocked reports in a series of posts
Garcia will now reportedly have 10 days to request his B-sample be tested, which he must pay for himself.
He reportedly failed for the substance in two urine sample tests taken the day before the fight and also following the fight, with the bout going 12 rounds and securing Garcia the 21st win of his career, with just one loss to his name, though that could now be taken away from him.
A sample also screened positive for 19-norandrosterone but is unconfirmed until further lab analysis, according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.
On X, formerly Twitter, he posted a series of messages in the immediate aftermath of the allegations including sharing a video and speaking on a Space.
Other posts included: ‘I need more steroids I’m addicted UGHHH’, and ‘They are trying to take my greatest victory away kinda sad when you think about it I DONT CARE I LOVE GOD AND HE WILL MAKE THIS RIGHT I love you Jesus’.
In the video, he said: ‘I came on here to address this bull-f***ing-s*** claim that I cheated. Everybody knows I don’t cheat.
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He had made a number of bizarre social media posts and gone on several rants in the build-up to the bout
‘What can I say? Why didn’t they come out with this before, if they found it before? Why would they still let me into the ring? I came out with a victory and then they post this.
‘These are people that are trying to attack me for whatever reason. But no weapon against me shall prosper. I’ve never taken a steroid in my life.’
