Devin Haney didn’t officially lose to Ryan Garcia in their April grudge match, but he was still beaten up.
The fight was initially scored a majority decision win for Garcia as Haney was battered and dropped three times. However, Garcia failed drug tests–before and after the fight–as Ostarine was found in his system.
The official decision was shifted to a no-contest, and the New York State Athletic Commission suspended Garcia for a year. The decision was changed, but the damage was still done in many ways.
It seems the current 140-pound champion took a beating mentally and physically from the loss. Eddie Hearn recently spoke with Marcos Villegas of Fight Hub TV, and while there is a chance Haney returns to the ring in December to face Liam Paro, it’s clear the 25-year-old may need some internal and external repairs.
“I think the big question with Devin is, how is he mentally and physically after that Ryan Garcia fight,” Hearn asked rhetorically. “One thing about Devin is that he’s mentally very solid. Like, he’s an intelligent kid. I think he’s in control of his emotions. I think the defeat hurt him on many levels because, one, he probably never thought he’d get beat. Two, I think the drug test stuff was hard for him to take, the weight stuff, like, everything, and It was almost like, you know, when Ryan tested positive, Devin sort of got the blame. It was a really weird reaction, wasn’t it, on social? It was like, oh, ‘stop being a crybaby, Devin.’ It’s like, what?”
You can watch the entire interview in the video below.
Social media isn’t a fair place, and that’s exponentially true when it comes to the boxing community. Fans turn on fighters daily, and almost no one cares about the athlete’s well being.
The only care is whether they will return to entertain the masses.
At Haney’s level, it’s a well-paid, but dirty game. While Hearn is privy to personal conversations or assessments with Haney, most are not, and thus have no idea what he’s battling as he tries to navigate the complicated situation created from the fallout of the fight with Garcia.
Haney is a tough guy. Fighters are inherently tougher people from a physical standpoint than other human beings. He’s still human, and an athlete’s psyche can often be more fragile than their body.
The Garcia mind games began well before the first round of the fight. Garcia’s turn toward bizarre behavior happened during the pre-fight build, and many wondered if the fight would happen. There were rumors of heavy drinking and a general lack of preparedness.
As much as Haney tried to stay focused, it appeared he was affected by Garcia’s antics. Hearn agreed. “I think he did his head in,” Hearn said in his interview with Andre Ward. “I’m saying to Devin, let’s switch on. Because I know he’s thinking, is this guy for real? Remember, throughout the buildup, everyone tells him, ‘he ain’t gonna fight.’ I didn’t think he [Garcia] was gonna make the fight.”
That instability appears to have weighed on Haney Hearn said he was “psychologically and emotionally” damaged by the fight.
Haney is far from done physically, but you have to wonder what he does professionally moving forward. It seems Haney wants to be an undisputed champion in every weight class he competes, and that may still be an attainable goal for him at 140 pounds.
However, things could get dicey if and when Gervonta Davis moves up to super lightweight. As it is, when Haney does return, fans will be watching his mental state as much as his physical condition.
