Ryan Garcia shocked the boxing world by scoring a majority-decision win over Devin Haney on Saturday, dropping the super-lightweight champion four times en route to victory.
Garcia was ineligible to win the WBC belt after missing weight by three pounds on Saturday, and fans had expressed concern for the 25-year-old’s mental health due to his recent behaviour online, but “King Ryan” triumphed in stunning fashion in Brooklyn.
The American hurt his compatriot in the first minute of the fight, landing a clean left hook, and that signature punch caused Haney trouble throughout the bout, putting the “Dream” down in rounds seven and 11. Between those knockdowns, Garcia dropped Haney, 25, with a right hand in round 10, and those moments were enough to seal the victory.
Garcia was far from flawless, however, suffering a point deduction for punching on the break in round seven, and repeatedly turning his back on Haney as the fight progressed.
Haney, in typical fashion, also controlled stretches of the bout with his jab, but Garcia’s moments of brilliance were enough to see him win 114-110 and 115-109 on two scorecards, while the other read 112-112.
Addressing the concerns over his mental health, Garcia said in his post-fight interview: “Come on, guys, you really thought I was crazy? You done lost your whole mind!
“You guys overegg everything, you guys hate on me because I’m pretty and s***. That’s f***ed up […] I put my f***ing reputation on the line […] Let’s run it back.”
Haney added: “I’m disappointed with my performance, but I showed that I can fight after a knockdown and getting hurt.
“I fell asleep on the left hook. I was more surprised than hurt the first time […] I would love a rematch. I gave him a shot, it’s only right he gives me a shot back. He didn’t make weight, so I’m still the champion. We can run it back.”
The result marked Haney’s first loss as a professional. The former undisputed lightweight champion, who vacated those belts last year before taking the WBC super-lightweight title from Regis Prograis, fought Garcia six times as an amateur, going 3-3 against his rival.
