Brooklyn, New York – Professional boxer Ryan Garcia encountered a setback before his highly anticipated world super lightweight championship fight with Devin Haney. Garcia failed to make weight, coming in at 3.2 pounds above the division limit at 143.2 pounds. As a result, last-minute negotiations took place between the two camps to proceed with the fight as a non-title bout at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Saturday.
Despite the weight mishap, the fight will continue after an undisclosed financial agreement was reached between the teams, with a portion of Garcia’s purse redirected to Haney. However, Garcia will no longer be eligible to win Haney’s WBC title, should he emerge victorious. The belt will remain vacant in that scenario.
Garcia’s unprofessional behavior was further highlighted during the public weigh-in, where he was seen taking a swig from a beer bottle before stepping on the scale. In contrast, Haney weighed in at the required 140 pounds. Tensions escalated during a staredown between the fighters, with Garcia defending himself by saying he did his best to make weight.
Haney criticized Garcia’s actions, labeling him as unprofessional and suggesting that his behavior would come back to haunt him. Concerns over Garcia’s mental state have been a recurring theme leading up to the fight, with the boxer’s erratic behavior overshadowing the promotion.
Garcia’s struggles with making weight were also evident in a previous fight in December, where the bout was contested at 143 pounds instead of the contracted 140 pounds. Haney, on the other hand, remained unbeaten in 31 professional fights and had been taunting Garcia about his ability to make weight.
Despite the challenges, a statement from Golden Boy Promotions confirmed that Garcia would honor the agreements made at the final press conference. The fight will proceed, with a significant financial adjustment benefiting Haney. The developments leading up to the fight have added an extra layer of intrigue and uncertainty to the highly anticipated showdown between Garcia and Haney at the Barclays Center.