Lab results from Ryan Garcia‘s B sample, collected for his fight against Devin Haney, have tested positive for the banned substance ostarine. Boxing reporter Dan Rafael shared the news on Twitter following tests conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) before and after Garcia’s majority decision win over Haney on April 20.
The positive results from the B sample confirm earlier findings from the A sample, reported on May 1. It’s rare for A and B samples to differ, so the confirmation wasn’t unexpected. Given that the fight took place in Brooklyn, the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) will determine Garcia’s potential punishment, which could include suspension, fines, or overturning the fight’s result.
Haney’s team has already requested that Garcia be disqualified, hoping to turn Haney’s loss into a win. Athletic commissions typically consider overturning results in cases of positive drug tests, often changing a loss to a no-contest.
Ostarine, an anabolic agent, is banned at all times for athletes. It has led to numerous positive tests in the UFC, affecting fighters like Sean O’Malley, Marvin Vettori, and Nicco Montano. Garcia initially also tested positive for the 19-Norandrosterone metabolite, suggesting the presence of another banned substance, nandrolone, but further analysis cleared him of this infraction.
Garcia has consistently denied any wrongdoing since the initial drug test results were made public. After the latest update, he responded with a series of tweets, which he later deleted, including, “Let’s go we positive positive vibes brugh Yess so happy,” followed by, “I F***ING LOVE STEROIDS,” and “I don’t care I’ll never make money again with boxing your loss not mine for setting me up lol joke on yall.”. The positive test casts a shadow over what was a career-defining victory for Garcia, who scored three knockdowns on his way to defeating Haney.
There is no word yet on when the NYSAC will address Garcia’s positive test or what consequences he may face as a result.
