The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, was the epicenter of a heart-pounding showdown between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney. The live broadcast on DAZN PPV showcased the main event, a gripping battle as Haney made his first stand to defend the WBC super lightweight title against Garcia. The anticipation leading up to the fight was electric, fueled by their fierce rivalry.
The weigh-ins brought an unexpected twist as Ryan Garcia was disqualified, tipping the scales at 143.2 pounds, a staggering 3.2 pounds over the divisional limit. This meant the WBC super lightweight title would remain vacant, even if Garcia emerged victorious against the undefeated champion. Despite this setback, Haney chose to proceed with the fight after both parties reached a financial agreement.
Deion Sanders Jr. shows his admiration for Ryan Garcia
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In his X post, ex-NFL QB Robert Griffin III hailed Ryan Garcia after his impressive win against WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney, stating, “Ryan Garcia talked the talk and walked the walk. His heel turn is permanent now. Villain Ryan is here to stay.” Deion Sanders Jr. joined RGIII in the celebration as he posted a video of his TV featuring Garcia’s win on his IG story. He took on the “I told you so” attitude and said, “The whole world was sleeping on bro.”
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In Round 1 of the fight between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, 25-year-old King Ryan crushed Haney with an aggressive left hook. But ESPN’s world’s best active lightweight champion remained steady and pressured Garcia continuously. But in Round 7, Garcia knocked down Haney and dominated the second half of the round. The knockdown trend continued even in Rounds 10 and 11, and after 12 intense rounds, Garcia was named the winner by majority decision. This is a major blow to Haney, who experienced defeat for the first time in his professional boxing career, after which the WBC super lightweight title was vacant. So, where did Garcia’s inspiration come from?
Mike Tyson hypes Ryan Garcia before the fight
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Another interesting pre-fight aspect is that legendary heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson hyped Garcia moments before the fight, which could be a contributor to his beast mode in the ring. The viral meeting between Iron Mike and King Ryan backstage stole the headlines when the boxing legend came to encourage the rising legend.
Tyson hugged Garcia and said, “Looking good brother, looking to eating bricks, you look beautiful brother.” The lightweight boxer returned the compliment, promising to be there when Tyson takes on Jake Paul. Sharing the same opponent in Jake Paul, Ryan Garcia and Mike Tyson have formed a unique bond, and that’s to uplift and stimulate each other.