Ryan Garcia has seemingly silenced the discussions surrounding his mental health by pulling off a remarkable upset against Devin Haney on Saturday.
Prior to the boxing match at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Garcia’s fans were worried about his mental health because of his social media antics, promotional interviews, and press conferences. His previous behavior left many speculating whether he was trolling when Garcia entered the ring and knocked down Haney three times on his way to a surprising majority decision victory.
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Following his victory, Garcia stated that much of his public behavior was genuine. “I don’t give a f*ck what people say about me,” Garcia told reporters post-fight. “I walked through the fire and still held it down and still beat f*cking Devin Haney, and still drank every day and still beat him. I did everything. “What happened? False reality, right? I drank every single night. Went out on the first Monday and Tuesday (of fight week), and drank, drank, drank. What happened? I won. I’m not necessarily proud of it, but I’m just saying. It was a statement to say you guys can’t really f*ck with me. I can do whatever I want.”
Garcia and Haney have a lengthy history that goes back to their amateur days, having faced each other seven times in total, with Garcia currently holding a 4-3 advantage. Despite the competitive nature of their bouts, Garcia was considered a notable underdog in the fight, primarily due to concerns regarding his mental well-being.
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“Look, I’m going through a lot,” Garcia said. “I went through a divorce, and a lot of sh*t is happening to me outside my (boxing) life, and it lowkey kind of broke me, so I did what I felt like I needed to do to feel OK.
“I drank every day and did whatever I wanted. I’m not proud of it at all. I just pray for my kids, and hopefully, they are OK. I hope I made them proud.”
