Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney are not fighting each other this weekend, but that did not stop the old rivals from trading barbs at a press conference for Friday’s boxing event in Times Square.
The unique show will see Garcia box Rolly Romero after Haney fights Jose Ramirez, with a rematch between “King Ryan” and the “Dream” on the cards if both win.
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Also fighting at the event in New York City are Teofimo Lopez and Arnold Barboza Jr, who clash over Lopez’s WBO super-lightweight belt. Meanwhile, Garcia and Haney are making their welterweight debuts, having clashed at super-lightweight last April. In that contest, “King Ryan” dropped his fellow American three times en route to a decision win, which was later overturned.
The result was rendered a No Contest upon the revelation that Garcia, 26, had failed a pre-fight drug test, while the controversial star also missed weight before the bout, making him ineligible to take the WBC super-lightweight belt from Haney, also 26.
There was even more drama, too, in the form of Garcia’s concerning online behaviour in the build-up to the fight, and this week’s press conference was the scene of more antagonism.
Addressing a run-in with Haney’s father and coach Bill at this week’s open workouts, Garcia said on Wednesday: “He was coming at my physique, but it’s all good. They were saying the same thing last time and they got their ass whooped last time, too! And you’ll get your ass whooped again!”
“He got off that Ostarine, and he don’t even sound the same!” the younger Haney responded, referencing the banned substance for which Garcia tested positive. “His voice changed back. Your physique changed, you’ve got t*****s now! Those muscles gone, your voice is gone. This motherf****r is gone!”
Bill Haney chimed in: “What the hell happened to Ryan Garcia? This is not the same Ryan Garcia at all.”
Garcia replied: “I’ve got multiple personalities, b***h! And you don’t want to see the crazy one! You don’t want to see the crazy personality, b***h! You and your son are some b*****s. You a big b***h!”
The Times Square event kicks off a stacked weekend of boxing. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez makes his Saudi debut on Saturday as he meets William Scull in an undisputed super-middleweight title fight, before Naoya Inoue makes his long-awaited return to the US on Sunday to defend his undisputed super-bantamweight belts against Ramon Cardenas.
