"I forgive you" - Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney agree on a clean slate rematch after former's suspension is over
Ryan Garcia's suspension due to a positive drug test led to his win over Devin Haney being overturned to a no-contest, officially keeping Haney's record undefeated. Despite the controversy, Haney, the former undisputed lightweight champion, is eager to settle the score with Garcia.
Haney is determined to erase any doubts about his record and is pushing for a rematch against Garcia. However, this rematch will have to wait until Garcia's year-long suspension is over.
In a post, Haney expressed his willingness for a fair rematch:
“I’m happy it’s wasn’t a DQ because I wouldn’t wanna win like that once this suspension is over @RyanGarcia let’s run it back. CLEAN on a even playing field.. Biggest fight n boxing!”
Initially, Garcia reacted angrily on social media, blaming Haney and the boxing world for his suspension. However, Haney’s offer of a rematch seemed to have softened Garcia’s stance. He responded:
“Okay Devin, I forgive you. Let’s run it back. Love wins.”
Check out the conversation posted by Michael Benson below:
Their first bout saw Garcia dominate Haney, even knocking him down and securing a majority decision victory.
Ryan Garcia's team claims "substance contamination" following one-year ban from boxing
Following a one-year suspension for testing positive for Ostarine, boxer Ryan Garcia's team released a statement refuting any intentional wrongdoing.
They claimed that the detected levels were "in the billions and trillions of a gram," suggesting insignificant contamination and no performance benefit.
The statement read:
“Ryan Garcia was a victim of substance contamination, with levels measured in the billions and trillions of a gram, which provided no advantage whatsoever in the ring. Ryan, with his legal team, has resolved this issue and firmly maintains his truth: he never intentionally took any banned substance. It's simply not in his nature.
"For many years, Ryan has voluntarily submitted to random testing, even during out-of-competition periods, and has never had any issues. He has maintained an impeccable and clean record throughout his career, significantly elevating and transcending the sport of boxing, earning respect and admiration from millions of fans worldwide."
Check out the statement from Ryan Garcia's team below: