Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia will square off in the ring at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Saturday night, but it won't be the fight fans expected when both men signed on the dotted line. The biggest issue during the bout's promotion period was Garcia's mental state, as it became increasingly clear that the 25-year-old was not in the right mental state for one of the biggest fights of his young career. .
Concerns about Golden Boy Promotions' biggest star began to grow after Garcia began making controversial and defamatory posts on social media following his scheduled bout with WBC super lightweight champion Haney. Garcia has been open about his own mental health issues in the past, even taking a break from his professional boxing career to sort himself out.
Things came to a head at Friday's weigh-in when Garcia weighed 3.2 pounds over the 140-pound limit. He made a bet with Haney at a press conference Thursday, agreeing to pay him $500,000 for every 140 pounds he weighs. That bet ended up costing Garcia $1.5 million, and Haney later tweeted that Garcia had honored the bet. And during the ceremonial weigh-in, Garcia appeared to be chugging beer on his scale. He later tweeted: “Apple juice and soda.”
It's anyone's guess how this weigh-in error and Garcia's fragile mental state going into a non-title bout will affect the outcome, but the two fighters will meet in the ring on Saturday night. At BetMGM, Haney is the heavy favorite at -650, while Garcia is at +450.
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Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia live results, highlights and odds (starting at 8pm ET)
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Super Lightweight: Devin Haney (-650) vs. Ryan Garcia (+450)
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WBA interim flyweight title: John Ramirez (-160) vs. David Jimenez (+150)
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Super Lightweight: Arnold Barboza (-900) vs. Sean McComb (+600)
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Middleweight: Bektemir Melikuziev (-1000) vs. Pierre Dibombe (+650)
Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia predictions
It's an interesting matchup in terms of physical characteristics. Haney has an excellent southpaw jab, good defense, and ring generalship beyond his years. Garcia also has the physical tools to win this fight. He has height, reach, speed, and power. At least Garcia has a chance as a puncher to win this fight and pull off an upset. Will that happen? i don't think so.
Garcia spends so much time on social media that he doesn't have enough time to prepare for one of the biggest fights of his life. Depending on how you look at it, the Davis fight was one of the most anticipated fights of 2023, even though it was a non-title fight. His upcoming fight with Haney is for a legitimate world title. Garcia has a chance to make his mark, but he doesn't seem to care. Win or lose, he's going to make more money in the long run as a content creator.
From a skill standpoint, Haney has a huge advantage over Garcia. He is one of the sharpest and most disciplined athletes in boxing. He is a master ring technician who boasts accurate punches and amazing footwork. Garcia is fast, but if he drops his hands with his chin up or overextends with his punches, his timing often outweighs his speed, leaving him vulnerable to counter shots.
The second round against Davis was a perfect example of that. Garcia missed a left hook, but Davis, an elite counterpuncher, took him down with a straight left. Haney doesn't have as much power as Davis, but a champion at his level should easily win this fight. The animosity Garcia instilled in this event may have been important in promoting the fight, but it would be irrelevant once the bell rang.
I expect Haney to KO Garcia in the third round, but don't be surprised if Garcia gets disqualified. – ryan ohara
