"I'm a true champion" - Devin Haney dismisses considering calling off Ryan Garcia fight despite opponent's weight miss drama
Devin Haney unequivocally brushed aside any notion of canceling the upcoming fight with Ryan Garcia despite his opponent's recent weight miss controversy.
'The Dream' was supposed to defend his WBC super lightweight title against Ryan Garcia in a 12-round bout at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York this weekend. However, 'KingRy' raised eyebrows when he weighed 143.2 pounds during Friday's official weigh-in, exceeding the division limit by 3.2 pounds.
Despite this hiccup, the fight will proceed after both sides reached a confidential financial agreement, with a portion of Garcia’s purse allocated to Haney. However, Garcia forfeits his chance to claim Haney's WBC title. If the reigning champion loses, the title will be left vacant.
During the ceremonial weigh-in, 'The Dream' shrugged off any doubts about canceling his bout while speaking with combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani. Haney criticized 'KingRy' for failing to make weight and confidently stated his belief in overcoming him in the ring:
"He's very unprofessional, and I'm a true professional. I told him yesterday that his antics would betray him, but this is just a start. Tomorrow, the world will see that I'm levels above this average fighter. It doesn't matter what weight he came in. I'm a true champion, and I will show it. I will end his pu**y! Get him out of boxing! It's over."
Check out Devin Haney's comments below:
Haney has been jibing at Garcia throughout the lead-up to their fight, confidently forecasting that he wouldn't meet the weight requirement. During Thursday's pre-fight press conference, Haney boldly challenged Garcia to pay him $500,000 for every pound he exceeded the limit, a proposition his rival accepted.
The unbeaten Californian later confirmed receiving the $1.5 million payout from Garcia and announced on X that "Ryan honored the 500k per pound."
Check out Devin Haney's post below:
Devin Haney admits he had no doubts on whether Ryan Garcia would show up
Devin Haney recently reiterated his continual belief that Ryan Garcia would be his opponent on April 20.
In a recent interview with Boxing Scene, 'The Dream' addressed inquiries regarding any concerns he had about Garcia's readiness to face him in the ring:
"No. At the end of the day, I knew Ryan would show up. This is a big fight – it’s a huge opportunity for him as well. I can’t put too much energy into focusing on Ryan and whether he’s gonna show up. I can only focus on being myself, and prepared, and being the best that I can be – no matter if it’s Ryan or not."
Haney and Garcia crossed paths six times in amateur competitions, each securing three victories. Their last bout took place in January 2015 during the quarterfinals of the USA Youth National Championships, where 'The Dream' emerged triumphant via unanimous decision.