NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 20: Ryan Garcia (white trunks) reacts against Devin Haney (gray trunks) during their WBC Super Lightweight title bout at Barclays Center on April 20, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Ryan Garcia's B-sample tested positive for a banned substance, ESPN reported Thursday, but the boxer's legal team and promoter pointed to a negative hair sample as proof he had not violated rules.
Garcia, who knocked down Devin Haney three times in New York on his way to a majority-decision victory April 20, also had his A-sample come back positive for Ostarine on May 1.
Garcia's attorneys — Paul Greene, Matt Kaiser, Darin Chavez and Guadalupe Valencia — said in a statement that Garcia submitted the hair sample after the original positive test. They also pointed to the results of the first test, saying the samples were at “ultra-low levels” that were “in the billionth of a gram range” as evidence Garcia was not guilty of taking performance-enhancing drugs.
“Ryan has voluntarily submitted to tests throughout his career, which have always shown negative results,” the lawyers' statement said. “He also tested negative multiple times leading up to the fight against Haney.”
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Golden Boy Promotions, which also represents Garcia, made a similar case for his innocence.
“As noted when the initial tests emerged, we believe Ryan — and we continue to today,” the promoter's statement said.
Haney reposted comments on X expressing skepticism about the hair sample findings.
Sports
Get today's sports news out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest on the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Kings, Galaxy, LAFC, USC, UCLA and more LA teams.
“Ryan & his team knew he would test positive that’s why they did a bs ‘hair test’ on their own which who really he knows if they did it,” Haney wrote on X.
