Ryan Garcia has found an unlikely supporter in Gervonta Davis as he battles the claims of PED abuse. However, things unfolded hilariously when he publicly tried to acknowledge his former rival’s efforts and aid. The American boxer had called ‘Tank’ his “brother,” only to backtrack on his words when cornered by a fan.
Garcia, 25, has been accused of using a banned substance, ostarine, for his fight against Devin Haney on April 20. While he pulled off an upset, the festivities soon took a hit as ‘The Dream’ and Eddie Hearn launched an attack as they rallied behind positive PED tests. Moreover, ‘KingRy’ has been on the receiving end of flak from the fans. But Davis, 29, has had his back. “He didn’t cheat..,” the WBA lightweight champion had announced on his X handle.
Similarly, Davis had told ES News, “Stay up kid. Continue to be you. We’ll see each other in the future. I don’t believe he’s a cheater.” Having a rival vouch for him has mellowed down the criticism against Garcia. Therefore, to express his gratitude, the 25-1 record holder wrote on his X handle, “Shoutout Gervonta Davis Bro really my brother NO F*CKING CAP.”
But a boxing fan responded to Garcia in the comments and declared, “Gervonta Davis is the face of boxing.” Puzzled by such a response, he comically replied, “Ight chill fam.”
The Victorville native would appreciate any support he could muster at this moment, as his B-sample results have also returned positive for ostarine. So, he is on thin ground, and he might have to face a ban and a cancellation of his boxing license if the New York Athletic Commission takes a strict liability approach. Amir Khan in the past had faced the brunt of a two-year ban when he tested positive for ostarine. Meanwhile, Hearn is campaigning for the loss to be removed from Haney’s record column.
Eddie Hearn presses for a DQ win against Ryan Garcia
Garcia’s positive B-sample has turned the narrative against him and the British promoter is trying to get the fight result converted into a no-contest to save Haney from the embarrassment of losing his perfect record. In addition, they wouldn’t mind a ruling for a DQ win in their favor. Hearn told Boxing News, “When he [Ryan Garcia] boxed Devin Haney, he had performance-enhancing drugs in his system.”
The Matchroom Boxing head honcho continued, “Therefore, the fight should have never taken place… More importantly, the contest shouldn’t be acknowledged. 100% no-contest. It was in his system. But the disqualification, you just don’t know.” It remains to be seen how the NYAC rules the matter when it comes to hearing it.
