Pre-fight Oddities and All, Devin Haney Has Much to Gain From Ryan Garcia Bout

Garcia’s strange behavior has cast doubt over April’s scheduled fight. Haney, however, stands to benefit no matter who he ends up facing in the ring.

Inside the Top Rank gym in Las Vegas last week, where Devin Haney is holding his training camp for April’s scheduled fight with Ryan Garcia, it was business as usual. Haney, the reigning 140-lbs. champion, was in the ring, snapping off punches as three sparring partners rotated in.

“Haney time!” shouted someone from the ring apron.

“Best in the world!” exclaimed another.

Only it isn’t business as usual. Garcia’s erratic behavior, which has been broadcast to his millions of followers on social media, has cast doubt on the fight moving forward. While Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, has attempted to downplay suggestions the fight could be canceled—De La Hoya says he was “1,000% sure” the fight would happen—skepticism remains. On Instagram, where Garcia has more than 10 million followers, Garcia claimed the New York State Athletic Commission was asking for a mental evaluation. In response, Garcia threatened to sue.

Haney was named Sports Illustrated’s 2023 Fighter of the Year :: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

From afar, Haney has been monitoring all of it. Over the last two years Haney, 25, has emerged as one of boxing’s top fighters, winning titles in two weight divisions—including the undisputed championship at 135 lbs.—and climbing pound-for-pound lists. In 2023, Haney successfully defended his lightweight titles against Vasyl Lomachenko before moving up to 140 lbs., where he scored a lopsided defeat of longtime titleholder Regis Prograis. Those accomplishments earned Haney accolades, including Sports Illustrated’s Fighter of the Year.

The Garcia fight represents Haney’s most lucrative opportunity to date. Garcia, 25, is one of boxing’s most bankable young stars. His fight against Gervonta Davis last April generated a reported 1.3 million pay per view buys. His exciting style—20 of Garcia’s 24 wins have come by knockout—sells tickets. And there is history between the two, with Garcia and Haney splitting six fights in the amateur ranks.

In an interview with SI, Haney said he was optimistic the fight would move forward.

“In the beginning I was worried [about the fight being canceled] to be honest,” says Haney. “I called Oscar and I was asking Oscar, ‘Hey, what’s up man? Is this fight going to go through? What’s going on? Is he going to pull out? Is he having mental health issues?’ Oscar said, no, the fight’s going to happen. This guy says he’s trolling. He knows what he’s doing. So it is what it is.”

Haney admits Garcia’s behavior has been puzzling. In recent weeks Garcia has said he was raped as a child, that he has witnessed rapes, that he knows who killed Tupac Shakur, that the sports drink PRIME, co-founded by YouTube influencers KSI and Logan Paul, contains cyanide and that anyone who drinks PRIME is “working for Satan.” Last week, Garcia posted a video of him jogging down the streets of Dallas asking random people if they supported pedophiles. Haney has accused Garcia’s behavior as being fueled by cocaine, a charge Garcia has denied.

“According to him, it’s fake,” says Haney. “It is trolling. So I don’t know. I can’t focus on his team and what they’re doing. It might just be all a plan, like he said, to sell the fight. But if it is, it is a very odd way to do it. I can’t say. I don't know until fight night to see if it actually is working as in selling the fight or if it’s getting people drawn away from the fight.

“What can we do? My only focus is to remain focused and focus on the fight. Do my job as the true professional that I am. This is what I love to do, this is what I do, and I thank Allah for everything, for the opportunity, the platform, and whether [Garcia] is in the ring or not this whole situation has made Devin Haney even bigger and my brand even bigger.”

Indeed, Haney has benefitted from Garcia’s social media activity. Days after Garcia went after PRIME, Haney announced a sponsorship agreement with the company. The timing was coincidental, says Haney, but he was happy to be involved. And if Garcia is forced out of the fight, Haney says he is prepared to face Arnold Barboza, an undefeated 140-lbs. contender currently scheduled to appear on the undercard.

“It is crazy that we even have to have a backup opponent,” says Haney. “I don’t know if we ever had this happen in boxing. But it is what it is. This is what we’re dealing with. This is what I signed up for. Fighting a guy like Ryan Garcia, a guy who’s mostly an influencer these days and doesn’t really take boxing serious like boxers. This is the risk that you run when you fight a guy like Ryan.”

Still, Haney is hopeful Garcia stays in. Haney-Garcia “is a big event for boxing,” says Haney. The fight, which will be streamed on DAZN PPV in the U.S., could generate north of 500,000 PPV buys. It’s a chance to win, collect a sizable paycheck and showcase his talent in front of a large audience.

“I believe that I am the best and no matter who gets in the ring on April 20, the outcome will be the same,” says Haney. “Ryan can come in however he’s going to come in. It doesn’t matter to me. It really doesn’t. Whatever he brings to the table, I’m going to be ready for a 100% because I do feel like I’m the best fighter in the world.”