Ryan Garcia came out as a master manipulator after he defeated Devin Haney during their fight in April. Having presented erratic and unstable behavior in the lead-up to the fight, he had everyone convinced that he was mentally ill to draw more eyes to his fight in New York. While his win was eventually overturned, actor and mixed martial artist Michael Jai White has shared an interesting perspective on Garcia’s mindset. 

It’s worth noting that after Garcia’s win over Haney, a banned substance, Ostarine, was found in his system in multiple tests conducted by VADA. It then led the New York State Athletic Commission to suspend Garcia from boxing for a year, and the win was turned into a no-contest. Regardless, speaking to DJ Vlad, White compared Garcia to former Interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington. 

Speaking to White, the reporter probed White about his thoughts on Garcia’s antics online, while revealing Bill Haney, Devin’s father, had told DJ Vlad that Garcia’s behavior was all for a show to promote the fight in April. White responded, stating, “Well, we agree. I think… That’s been put on the menu as something that you can choose.”

White then brought up Colby Covington’s example, declaring, “Hey, Colby Covington, to be honest with you, wouldn’t even have a career anymore if he didn’t do that. I’m thoroughly convinced of it. Thoroughly convinced.” However, the question now is, what did Covington do to warrant a direct comparison with the ultimate troll in boxing?

How is Colby Covington similar to Ryan Garcia?

Back in December 2019, UFC welterweight Colby Covington was reeling from a knockout loss to Kamaru Usman. At that time, many fans viewed Covington as a boring fighter, and there was speculation that he might be on the verge of being cut from the UFC. In a surprising turnaround, however, the once mild-mannered athlete transformed into a relentless trash talker, reigniting interest in his career.

He called out his former friend and sparring partner, Jorge Masvidal, for not supporting him after the loss to Usman. This sparked a fierce feud between them, with both fighters trading insults over the next few years. The rivalry escalated dramatically, eventually culminating in a highly anticipated showdown at UFC 272 in March 2022.

Covington ultimately won their fight by decision, but Masvidal wasn’t finished with their manufactured rivalry. Later that month, he attacked Covington outside a restaurant in Miami, leading to Masvidal pleading no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge related to the incident.

The similarities between Garcia and Covington are evident from their changing their personalities to hype up their fights and make the most amount of money. At least, that’s what Michael Jai White believes. However, the question is—how ethical is it? Do you think Covington and Garcia have similar traits?