Ryan Garcia goes off after allegedly failing drug test
Ryan Garcia holds up his gloves during his fight with Gervonta Davis on April 22, 2023 at T-Mobile Arena. Photo Credit: Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy Digital
Ryan Garcia went off via social media on Wednesday after allegedly failing a drug test prior to his fight against Devin Haney two weeks ago.
Garcia beat Haney via majority decision in their April 20 fight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. On Wednesday, we learned that Garcia had been informed that a drug test sample he submitted prior to the fight tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Ostarine. Garcia’s A-sample also screened positive for 19-Norandrosterone, but its presence could not be confirmed as of now, according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.
Garcia has 10 days to request his B-sample be tested.
In the meantime, the 25-year-old boxer has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. He posted a video on X in which he called the positive test “fake news.”
“Everybody knows that I don’t cheat,” Garcia said in the video. “Never taken a steroid … I don’t even know where to get steroids. … I barely take supplements.”
At first he seemed to blame an anti-stress supplement for the positive test.
My bad I shouldn’t have took this pic.twitter.com/WDgWkMMyOr
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) May 2, 2024
Garcia also said it doesn’t make sense that he would voluntarily submit a drug test if he were using banned substances.
Why in the world would I volunteer for a drug test if I planned on taking drugs?
Make it make sense???
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) May 2, 2024
Garcia’s promoter Golden Boy put out a statement on Wednesday defending its fighter.
“Ryan has put out multiple statements denying knowingly using any banned substances — and we believe him. We are working with his team to determine how this finding came to be and will address this further once we conclude that process.”
The win over Haney made Garcia 25-1 in his career.
