Ryan Garcia lends further credence to December Rizin fight reports with latest comments despite doping ban
Ryan Garcia hasn't set foot inside a boxing ring since his controversial bout with Devin Haney. However, according to the boxer himself, he will indeed return to the squared circle in December under the Rizin banner, having made the claim in a brief interaction with TMZ.
A recent rumor has circulated that Golden Boy Promotions has greenlit Garcia to take part in an exhibition boxing match in Rizin in Japan. This is despite his ongoing one-year suspension from boxing following his failed PED test for ostarine, a banned substance, ahead of his past bout with Haney.
Whether his claims are true, Garcia vowed to fight before the end of the year, saying as much to TMZ.
"You're going to see me fight in December. It's going to be a big fight, so stay tuned."
Check out Ryan Garcia's claim about fighting in December:
Regardless of the rumors and claims abound, Garcia's career has taken a massive U-turn. Prior to facing Haney, he was written off due to his erratic behavior and failure to make weight, which had rendered him ineligible to capture Haney's WBC super lightweight belt.
In a shocking twist, Garcia authored a brilliant performance, rocking and dropping Haney several times to win via majority decision. Thereafter, he became a sensation, but it was short-lived.
His positive test for ostarine, despite his protests of innocence, led to the bout result being overturned and Garcia was handed a one-year suspension.
Ryan Garcia got himself in further hot water
Despite the one-year suspension he was handed, Ryan Garcia continued behaving erratically under a self-perceived cloak of invincibility. This culminated in a controversial rant on a livestream that saw him use racial slurs and speak negatively about black people and Muslims.
"Exercising my authority as president of the WBC, I am hereby expelling Ryan Garcia from any activity with our organization."
This proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back, and Garcia, who is reported to have refused to seek treatment for his mental health issues and behavior, was expelled from the WBC, one of the four major sanctioning bodies in boxing.