In an atmosphere charged with anticipation, the first-ever Ring Magazine Awards event was expected to be a glamorous gathering, drawing boxing elite from around the world. And without failure, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney were also guaranteed to make their presence felt. What started as a night of celebration soured quickly when tension escalated between the two fighters. The verbal sparring began when Devin Haney’s father Bill Haney confronted the Victorville native outside their hotel lobby in London.

The cause of the rift between the two fighters stems from their controversial bout in April 2020 in Barclays Center, Brooklyn. The fight which was initially deemed a win for Garcia was later overshadowed after Garcia tested positive for Ostarine. And the result? Suspension for Garcia and a legal battle, as Haney’s team filed a lawsuit against Garcia for breach of contract. This legal issue has kept the fighters apart for the time being, but both are now preparing to return to the ring in 2025—Garcia with his suspension ending in April, and Haney eyeing a comeback in March.

As both boxers prepare for their respective returns, the simmering tension continues to boil. Bill Haney has been vocal in his desire for a rematch, even though his son lost the original bout last year. Haney Sr. insists that a proper victory over KingRy remains a priority for them. However, in a conversation with radio Raheem on the sidelines of the awards, Garcia seemed hesitant to jump into a fight with Haney. But he had more to add.

According to Garcia, “The only way he’s going to get any respect is to fight me again and try to do better. I would be down to do a rematch but a lot of things need to play out the way I need them to play out.” Like what? Devin Haney “needs to drop the lawsuit,” said Garcia. It seems for Ryan Garcia, doing away with the lawsuit the Haney team has against him remains the condition for a rematch.

This underlying tension boiled over when Bill Haney, ever vocal, accused Garcia of “ducking” his son after the awards ceremony ended. Haney Sr.’s frustrations came to the forefront during an encounter at the event, which was captured on camera. Happypunch on Instagram shared the clip of their verbal altercation with a caption that read, “Bill and Devin Haney tried to confront Ryan Garcia last night at the Ring awards 😬(🎥 @billhaney__).”

In the video, Garcia, along with his lawyer Lupe Valencia, walked past Haney’s team while Bill could be heard shouting out, “There he goes, ducking. I see him. I know I see him trying to duck around there.” Then, as Garcia walked in front, Bill Haney added, “Came all out here for nothing, huh? You’re ducking it, huh?” He didn’t hold back when addressing Valencia either, who boarded the vehicle after Garcia, all smiles but offering no response.

Seeing him doing that reveals how much desperate Haney Sr. is for the rematch, than his son. Even though Ryan Garcia stayed silent during the incident, one must not assume he had nothing to respond. He did.

Ryan Garcia Makes A Bold Announcement on Social Media

Soon after the confrontation outside the hotel in London, Garcia addressed the accusations head-on in a cryptic yet bold Instagram story. His story read: “Two huge announcements. We are going to see who ducks what. I only do huge fights.”

Garcia has remained tight-lipped about the specific details of his future fights, but his post suggests that he’s ready to engage in major bouts including a rematch with Haney. Not to forget, the 24-1, 20 KO boxer mentioned he’s “back in the business” as he talked to Radio Raheem earlier in the evening. If a rematch with Haney does materialize, fans can expect a bloodbath, as both fighters have personal stakes in the outcome. Garcia’s bold statement seems to confirm that he’s eager to prove his worth in the ring, particularly after months of suspension and legal drama.

The prospect of a Garcia-Haney rematch is a tantalizing one. As the dust settles after the Ring Magazine event, boxing enthusiasts continue to speculate whether the long-awaited rematch between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney will finally take place or not. With Garcia’s bold social media post and Haney’s insistence on a proper victory, the two are clearly on a collision course.

So what do you think? Will Haney drop the lawsuit in exchange for a bout? How soon can fans expect to see these two warriors square off in the ring? Do share your thoughts below!