Ryan Garcia for RIZIN? Suspended boxer sought for New Year’s Eve exhibition bout in Japan
Ryan Garcia reportedly has go-ahead to fight for RIZIN on its annual New Year’s Eve card.
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Ryan Garcia headed to RIZIN? (Source: IMAGO)
Troubled boxer Ryan Garcia faces a year’s suspension from the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC). ‘King Ry’ came up green for banned PED Ostarine. Top it off, WBC disavowed him after his recent slurry and discriminative rant on X-Spaces. It appears others have not blacklisted the young boxer, as he will likely make an appearance at the RIZIN promotion in Japan.
Garcia outworked Devin Haney on April 20th at the Barclays Center with a shocking upset win. The NYSAC-imposed year ban and no-contest overturn does not dull the brazen funnyman spirit of the boxer. The 25-year-old is trying to compete later this year in Japan. While not locked in, GBP’s Garcia has received the go-ahead for the Japanese promotion RIZIN on its annual New Year’s Eve card.
It has all been touch-and-go for him. Ryan Garcia promised rehabilitation when WBC expelled him. Yet again, he skipped rehab to weirdly proclaim coaching his brother Sean Garcia after the latter’s first career loss. Then again, he said “rehab” after recent vandalism on his ex-wife, Andrea Celina. Despite the loopy downward spiral, an exhibition match wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility, though.
50-0 legend Floyd Mayweather has fought exhibition matches for the Japan-based promotion in 2018 and 2022. Even Manny Pacquiao will square off with Chihiro Suzuki at Super RIZIN 3 (July 28., 2024). RIZIN’s President, Nobuyuki Sakakibara has suggested Garcia would be in attendance; that would definitely spice up things. However, there are some current deterrents to that.
Can Ryan Garcia fight in exhibition matches next?
Ryan Garcia is definitely not happy about his year-long suspension. In typical ‘King Ry’ fashion, he has taken up stand-up comedy, had altercations with his ex-wife, and even teased a move to UFC in the meantime. Exhibition boxing could be it. However, standing in the way would be NYSAC’s suspension.
Sports nutritionist Victor Conte, who works with Haney, told ESPN MMA he suspects foul play. The supplements sent for testing were allegedly tampered with. Garcia could face stiffer punishment as their unsealed containers prevented chain-of-custody. A stiffer suspension of more than a year, failing to seek a lenient sentence, could hurt Garcia’s career.
Boxing insider Julianis Julius says on X that GBP reportedly has extended permission for “an exhibition match in Japan (for RIZIN) in December of this year.” There’s also the fact that many fans would be upset if Garcia participated in a RIZIN exhibition bout. They would see it as a leeway for circumventing the remaining months of his suspension.
However, it’s not entirely impossible. Wishing to rehydrate around the 147 lbs mark, Ryan Garcia would be a prime draw for most RIZIN standouts. As such, when he returns in April, he could boast an exhibition match to his name.
In case you missed it:
- Devin Haney’s father reacts to Ryan Garcia’s UNHINGED racist and Islamophobic rant on social media
- Jimmy Butler plays poker with suspended Ryan Garcia amidst rumors of Heat exit
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