Donald Trump was not at Ryan Garcia‘s shock victory over Devin Haney on Saturday night after the troubled boxer claimed he would be earlier this week.
On April 17, Garcia took to social media to claim the former president would be ‘coming to the fight’ – even tagging Trump in his post.
When later asked by members of the media about his claim, Garcia said: ‘Yeah he is. He’s coming. He’s right here in Harlem.’
Asked if he had spoken to Trump, Garcia replied: ‘Of course. I know all those guys. I know Bibi Netanyahu (the prime minister of Israel).
‘I know all of them and they know me. I’ll show you proof. Everybody thinks I’m lying bro. I’m just a kid from Victorville. They just – they can’t stop the vision. The vision’s clear.’
+3
Donald Trump was not at Ryan Garcia’s shock victory over Devin Haney on Saturday night
+3
Despite being in New York for the start of his hush money criminal trial, Trump was absent
On April 17, Garcia claimed on social media the former president would be ‘coming to the fight’
Garcia also incorrectly claimed that president Joe Biden would be walking out with Haney
But there was no sign of Trump at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, despite him being in New York City all week for the start of his hush money criminal trial.
Garcia also incorrectly claimed that president Joe Biden would be walking out with Haney.
Instead of being at the fight, Trump had to cancel his first planned rally since the start of his trial because of a storm Saturday evening in North Carolina.
Trump called into the rally site near the Wilmington airport less than an hour before he was scheduled to take the stage and apologized to a few thousand supporters who had gathered throughout the afternoon under initially sunny skies that later darkened with storm clouds.
Speaking from his private plane, Trump cited lightning and the incoming storm in explaining that he would not be landing. He pledged to reschedule a ‘bigger and better’ event at the same location ‘as quick as possible.’
Maybe he watched on from home as Garcia knocked Haney down three times and handed the WBC super lightweight champion his first loss, winning the fight by majority decision but not the title because he was over the weight limit.
+3
Garcia produced an astonishing upset to beat Haney after a chaotic 12 rounds in Brooklyn
Garcia’s odd behavior in public and on social media throughout the build up led to questions about how serious he was about this fight.
It sure seemed as though he didn’t devote enough time for training when he was more than 3 pounds above the 140-pound limit on Friday.
But the speed and power in his hands was too much for Haney, who was hurt right from the opening round and went down in the seventh, 10th and 11th.
Garcia won by scores of 115-109 and 114-110 on two of the judges’ cards, while the third had it 112-112.
The 25-year-olds from California fought six times as amateurs, but Haney had the stronger pro career, winning the undisputed lightweight title and then moving up to win the WBC title in his first fight at 140 pounds.
