Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney to share card before planned rematch
Boxing star Ryan Garcia will fight Rolly Romero in his return from suspension while Devin Haney will meet Jose Ramirez, Turki Alalshikh announced Monday.
Alalshikh, who is the chairman of Saudi Arabia‘s General Entertainment Authority and who purchased boxing publication The Ring from Oscar De La Hoya in November, posted on social media that the card will be branded as a Ring Magazine event and held in the U.S. in May. Heavyweight contender Martin Bakole will fight Efe Ajagba in an IBF heavyweight title eliminator in a third fight.
If Garcia and Haney both win, the plan is for the pair to meet in a highly anticipated rematch in October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) is eligible for reinstatement in April. He was suspended for one year by the New York State Athletic Commission after he tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug ostarine following a majority decision victory over Haney this past April.
Garcia floored Haney three times in the bout to score the major upset, but the result was later overturned to a no contest because of the doping violation. Garcia, 26, also was fined upward of $1.2 million.
Garcia also was 3.2 pounds overweight for that 140-pound title fight. Garcia and Haney will both campaign at the 147-pound welterweight limit in May ahead of their planned rematch at the same weight.
Last week, Haney and Garcia jointly asked a court to pause proceedings surrounding Haney’s lawsuit against Garcia for 90 days because of a tentative settlement.
Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) filed a lawsuit against Garcia in September in U.S. District Court in New York seeking damages for battery, fraud and breach of contract in connection with Garcia’s doping violation.
Haney, 26, was seeking unspecified damages and alleged Garcia committed battery because “his contest was limited to a bout held fairly and under the rules.”
Neither Haney nor Garcia has competed since their April fight. They will both return as prohibitive favorites in fights against former champions.
Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) last fought in September with a stay-busy decision win over Manuel Jaimes. That was Romero’s first bout since he was TKOed by Isaac Cruz in a March title defense.
Romero’s previous defeat was also via TKO, a lightweight fight with Gervonta Davis in 2022. The 26-year-old will move up to a third weight class for this fight with Garcia.
Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) is a former unified 140-pound champion who will move up to welterweight. The 32-year-old is coming off a decision loss to Arnold Barboza in November.
Haney is the former undisputed lightweight champion. His career-best victory came in 2023 when he outpointed future Hall of Famer Vasiliy Lomachenko. Haney later won a title at 140 pounds, too.
Garcia’s lone defeat was a TKO to Davis in 2023.
Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs) is coming off the biggest win of his career, a fifth-round KO of Jared Anderson in August. The 33-year-old is ESPN’s No. 7 heavyweight. With an expected victory over Ajagba, Bakole will be the mandatory challenger to the winner of the Feb. 22 title fight between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker.
Ajagba (20-1, 14 KOs) is coming off a split-decision win over Guido Vianello in April.
Source: espn.com