Boxing
Ryan Garcia suspended for one year and fined after positive PED tests
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaBoxing star Ryan Garcia has been suspended a year after reaching a settlement with the Modern York State Athletic Commission over testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug ostarine, the commission told ESPN on Thursday.
The suspension is retroactive to Garcia’s April 20 decision victory over Devin Haney, which was ruled a no-contest.
The commission found that Garcia, 25, also lost her purse. Sources say his revealed purse was $1.2 million and he will give up that amount, even though his guaranteed earnings were many millions higher. The commission said it also fined Garcia $10,000.
“I want to thank the committee and the fans who have been by my side throughout this entire process,” Haney told ESPN during a telephone interview Thursday. “Facts are facts, and I wasn’t playing on a level playing field. I’m glad I was able to get justice for what happened. This is all part of my story and it will only make me feel better. I want to enjoy this time with my family and friends and we’ll see what happens next.
“I am a pure athlete and boxing is a brutal sport where one fight can literally change your life. I believe it is significant for athletes to be tidy and I want to become an advocate for tidy athletes because of my experience in this situation.”
The commission said Garcia would be reinstated on April 20, 2025, provided his urine test did not contain banned substances. An agreement with the commission to accept the penalty means avoiding a trial.
“It’s a stark result,” Haney’s attorney, Pat English, told ESPN. “I have never seen $1.2 million forfeited or anything like that.”
Haney, 25, was the No. 6 boxer in ESPN’s weight-for-pound rankings when he suffered a major loss to Garcia. According to ESPN BET, Haney was a -900 favorite before entering the ring at -575 after Garcia was 3.2 pounds overweight heading into the 140-pound title fight.
Garcia was ineligible to win the WBC junior welterweight title, which Haney retained after he missed weight. Haney had never been knocked down in 31 previous professional fights, but was knocked down in rounds 7, 10 and 11 en route to a majority defeat. However, that loss has now been erased from Haney’s record and he is back at 31-0.
“The commission will continue to ensure athletes are held to the highest professional standards and protect the integrity of all sports under our jurisdiction,” the commission said in a statement.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KO) will be sidelined for at least a year. The Association of Boxing Commissions, which includes all major U.S. athletic commissions, honors any suspension of a member of the group.
Garcia took a 15-month career break after pulling out of his scheduled July 2021 fight with Javier Fortuna to address his mental health, then canceled a fight later that year against Joseph Diaz Jr. after hand surgery.
“Ryan and his legal team have resolved this matter and firmly stand by his truth: he has never intentionally ingested any banned substance,” Garcia’s team said in a statement provided to ESPN. “It’s just not in his nature. … Fans will always remember his performance against Haney as a masterclass and that will never be erased.”
Garcia, one of the sport’s biggest attractions, last recorded an official victory in December, knocking out Oscar Duarte in round 8. He previously suffered the lone defeat of his career in April 2023, when he was stopped in round 7 by Gervonta Davis. in a fight that generated over 1 million pay-per-view buys.
Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator that attaches to proteins in the body and, in turn, orders muscle growth. It can be used to enhance performance by helping athletes build muscle mass and escalate the rate of fat loss, as well as to escalate endurance and recovery capacity. Since 2008, it has been on the list of banned substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency, and in 2022 it was included on the WADA list of anabolic agents.
Ostarine has been used in boxing before. Lucian Bute tested positive for the disease in 2016 after drawing with Badou Jack for the WBC super middleweight title. The result was changed to Jack winning by DQ.
Amir Khan has been banned for two years by the UK Anti-Doping Authority (UKAD) after testing positive for ostarine following his sixth-round TKO loss to Kell Brook in 2022.
“I am innocent,” Garcia wrote on X. “I stand by it, I don’t care what anyone says. I put a gun to my head and say I didn’t take PEDs.”
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
17 hours agoon
November 23, 2024In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
1 day agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
3 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
‘MIKE TYSON WON’T FIGHT EVER AGAIN!’ – Gareth A Davies
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