If Ryan Garcia thinks New York’s athletic commission is going to be okay with him competing in an exhibition bout overseas while under suspension, he’s in for a rude awakening.
So much for retirement … or rehab.
Troubled boxer, Ryan Garcia, was recently suspended for one year by New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) after failing a drug test for Ostarine after his shocking upset win over Devin Haney earlier this year (watch highlights).
But, that may not stop the 25-year-old from trying to compete later this year in Japan.
While nothing is locked in, reports have Garcia receiving permission from Golden Boy Promotions to compete in an exhibition boxing match for Japanese promotion RIZIN on its annual New Year’s Eve card. This wouldn’t be outside of the realm of possibility for RIZIN: Floyd Mayweather has fought exhibition matches for the Japan-based promotion in 2018 and 2022, and Manny Pacquiao is set to fight Chihiro Suzuki at Super RIZIN 3 on July 28, 2024 (details here).
? The boxing legend MANNY PACQUIAO (@MannyPacquiao) makes his long-awaited RIZIN debut at Super RIZIN 3!
Watch RIZIN’s biggest-ever event on #RIZINtv!
7/28
12am CT
2am
6am
7am
Saitama Super Arena
https://t.co/LChPUvqSqh pic.twitter.com/nNUZHc9TSH— RIZIN.tv (@RIZINTV_) July 17, 2024
Keep your eye on Super RIZIN 3, as RIZIN’s President, Nobuyuki Sakakibara, has suggested Garcia may be in attendance. That would certainly add much more smoke to this report of a potential New Year’s Eve fight.
Standing in the way of Garcia and a decent payday is NYSAC’s suspension, which runs until April 20, 2025. Suspensions meted out by legitimate commissions are generally upheld by other commissions around the world. And while Japan is one of the few places where commission oversight is patchy, Garcia would undoubtedly draw the ire of NYSAC if he’s seen trying to compete while under suspension … even if it is “just an exhibition.”
Fighting under suspension just seems like a bad idea, which is probably the reason it seems like something Garcia might actually do.
Recent Garcia incidents include a troubling video where he is accused of breaking into his ex-wife’s home, as well as a racist rant that got him ejected from WBC. The bad publicity pushed Garcia to claim he was going into rehab, but that may have just been a smokescreen to distract the press from his bizarre behavior.
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