Devin Haney responds to Ryan García’s positive test for doping

Devin Haney’s (31-1, 15 KOs) controversial loss to Ryan García (25-1, 20-1 KOs) is the fight that keeps on giving. While the majority of fans may shrug off the extra three and a half pounds that Garcia was carrying, nearly every professional boxer has slammed King Ry’s decision to not even try and make weight, calling it a “tactical decision” in the kindest of moments, and blatant “cheating” in the eyes of the more vocal critics.

Devin Haney himself has, perhaps surprisingly, been the kindest of all, not referring to the extra weight as cheating, but still saying that it was a factor in the fight. Now, the news that Garcia has tested positive for Ostarine, a banned substance which promotes muscle growth, has brought about a reaction that is a little more stern from Haney.

The reigning WBC lightweight champion released a statement calling the situation unfortunate because García disrespected boxing and the fans. Haney went on to point out that both fighters risk their lives in the ring, hinting that Garcia’s actions were not only unfair, but dangerous.

“We learned about this situation not long ago and it’s unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice,” Haney said. “I’ve always been an advocate for clean fighting and this is an example of such. Ryan owes the fans an apology, and by his recent tweet he still thinks this is a joke. We put our lives on the line to entertain people for a living. You don’t play boxing. This puts the fight in a completely different light. Despite the disadvantage, I still fought on my shield and got back up! People die in this sport. This isn’t a joking matter.”

What is ostarine, the substance for which Ryan García tested positive?

Ostarine, according to the United States Food and Drug Administration, is a SARM (selective androgen receptor modulator), which mimics the effects of testosterone since it promotes muscle growth and fat loss.

It was revealed that Ryan Garcia failed a test for the substance both before the fight and also on the day of the fight.