A massive lightweight boxing match between undefeated champion Devin Haney and rising star Ryan Garcia is now in limbo after the New York State Athletic Commission requested a mental health examination from “King Ry.” The two rivals are expected to meet on April 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Why is the athletic commission requesting a mental health evaluation from one of the sport’s youngest stars?
That’s because Garcia has been on a social media rampage. Over the past few weeks he’s been posting cryptic and downright concerning material on his Twitter and Instagram pages. At one point, fight fans thought Garcia was dead before that was debunked as a hoax. His ex-wife still took to social media to insist that Garcia is not okay and to “pray for him.”
This is not the first time Garcia’s mental stability has been called into question.
On Friday, Garcia posted a video to his Twitter account revealing that the commission has requested a mental health evaluation ahead of his fight with Haney. The 25-year-old fighter proceeded to go on a rant about constitutional rights and how he plans to sue the commission for violating them. It was a pretty bizarre video and Garcia’s last before deleting his Twitter account.
Check it out below:
Ryan Garcia claims he’s suing the New York boxing commission for requesting a mental health evaluation pic.twitter.com/PT0YSi35vG
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) March 16, 2024
It’s unknown at this time what this means for Garcia’s upcoming boxing match with Haney. The two fighters have some serious beef to settle, but fight fans are already calling for the championship bout to be canceled in light of Garcia’s mental state. This recent request from the athletic commission could be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back, but we’ll have to wait and see.