Boxer Ryan Garcia rejected accusations of using performance-enhancing drugs in a video shared on social media Wednesday night following a report by ESPN claiming he had tested positive for a banned substance.
Garcia defeated Devin Haney, his former amateur rival, by a majority decision on April 20 in New York. Despite knocking Haney down three times and handing him his first loss, Garcia did not claim the WBC super lightweight title as he exceeded the weight limit.
In the video posted on X, Garcia asserted, “Everyone knows I don’t cheat. I’ve never taken a steroid … I don’t even know where to get steroids. … I barely take supplements. These are big lies.”
ESPN disclosed that the 25-year-old Garcia allegedly tested positive for Ostarine, a performance-enhancing substance, on the day before and the day of the fight, based on a letter from the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
Ostarine, categorized as a selective androgen receptor modulator, can promote muscle growth and is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The samples were collected before the fight, with the results only being revealed later, ESPN reported.
Reacting to the news, Haney remarked in a statement to ESPN, “We recently became aware of this situation, and it’s regrettable that Ryan cheated and showed disrespect to both the fans and the sport of boxing by engaging in foul play and testing positive not once, but twice. This completely changes the perspective of the fight.”
If confirmed, Garcia’s victory may be nullified due to the positive drug test.
