Ryan Garcia, the 26-year-old boxer from California, is getting ready to step back into the ring after a rocky year. He's aiming to restart his career following a suspension and a fight that ended up as a no-contest.
Garcia's last bout was against Devin Haney in April 2023. At first, Garcia won the fight. But later, he tested positive for a substance called Ostarine. This changed everything. The win got wiped off the record books, and Garcia faced some tough consequences. He got suspended for a year and had to pay a fine of over $1 million.
In a recent chat with Ring Champs, Garcia opened up about the hardest puncher he's faced. You might think it'd be someone like Gervonta 'Tank' Davis, the three-weight world champion. But Garcia surprised everyone with his answer.
"Oscar Duarte. He's the only one that's ever cut my eye, when he hit me with an uppercut in the clinch, and I was like you know doing my Ryan roll. That dude could crack bro, he felt like he had rocks in his hands."
This revelation comes as a shock, considering Garcia actually knocked out Duarte in their fight at the end of 2023.
Looking ahead, Garcia's got a busy schedule lined up. He's set to face Rolando 'Rolly' Romero on May 2, 2024, in Times Square, New York. If he comes out of that fight without any issues, there's talk of a rematch with Devin 'The Dream' Haney later in the year.
Speaking of Haney, he's got his own fight coming up. His unbeaten record is back intact after the Garcia fight was ruled a no-contest. Now, he's gearing up to take on Jose Ramirez, a former unified super lightweight champion, on the same card as Garcia vs Romero in New York City.
With all these fights in the works, boxing fans have got a lot to look forward to in the coming months. Garcia's return to the ring will be one to watch, as he tries to put the controversy behind him and get his career back on track.
