Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney are set to face former world champions on the same night in May. Both fighters will step into the ring outdoors in Times Square, setting the stage for their rematch later in the year.
The pair first met in April last year. Garcia won on points, but the result changed to a no contest after he tested positive for a banned substance. The fight had already stirred up controversy. Garcia's behavior before the bout raised eyebrows, and he missed the weight by nearly four pounds. This meant the fight went ahead as a non-title bout.
Garcia's failed drug test led to a one-year ban. He'll be eligible to return to the ring in April.
For his comeback fight, Garcia looks set to face Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz. Cruz won the WBA super-lightweight belt in March when he stopped Rolly Romero. He lost the title in August to José Valenzuela in a split decision. Cruz has a fight lined up against Angel Fierro in February. If he wins, he'll move on to face Garcia in May.
Haney, on the other hand, is expected to take on Jose Ramirez. Ramirez held unified titles at super-lightweight before losing to Josh Taylor in an undisputed title fight in May 2021. Since then, he's bounced back with three straight wins, including a victory over Arnold Barboza Jr in November.
ESPN/status/1880275160135315542?t=PMuEhfeBZJde-XTcUs-O-A&s=31" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ESPN journalist Salvador Rodriguez broke the news about the opponents for Garcia and Haney
. If both fighters come through their May bouts unscathed, they're set for a rematch in October in Saudi Arabia.Top trainer Robert Garcia has shared his thoughts on how the rematch might go down. The boxing world will watch closely as these events unfold, setting up what could be one of the year's most exciting fights.
