Ryan Garcia’s recovery must be incredibly arduous to watch, and his mind, allegedly warped by drugs and alcohol, must be the darkest place imaginable.
The sympathy that was naturally felt for Garcia, even as he claimed innocence over the two failed drug tests that forever ruined his greatest victory, is now nearly impossible to sustain. The grotesque dialogue he has uttered in recent days—the worst of which was wishing for George Floyd to come back from the dead so he could be killed again—is yet another uncensored exhibition of social media at its most repulsive.
Garcia’s attempts at explanation on social media (where else?) are unlikely to appease those who are rightly and deeply offended. “God knows my heart and how I would protect black children for the rest of my life. I spoke out against black on black crime. They took everything out of context.”
Perhaps it’s ironic that his obsession with the channels that made him an internet sensation is now destroying his image with startling rapidity. He could argue that he used them to his advantage—the Instagrams, the Xs, the ego gardens—in the buildup to his titanic triumph over Devin Haney, painting a picture of a maniac so unstable it’s a wonder he was allowed to take place. When he won one of the most memorable contests of the year just 11 weeks ago, it was assumed that he had been fooling us all along. But the seismic collapse of his reputation since then strongly suggests otherwise.
Tonight, while offering a rambling apology, he promised to check into rehab.
Yet even when reading his posts, which raise indefensible accusations of racism, and repeating them word for word here would only reinforce their blatant malice, it seems wrong to call him the devil and condemn him to hell, simply because the end of his story seems to be the worst chapter of all. Ignorance now seems to encourage judgment, since paying further attention would be tantamount to participating.
“I’m definitely not ecstatic to see the kid back down,” Bill Haney, Devin’s father and coach, said of Garcia today. “I always try to be as positive as I can as a normal person, because I hope that everybody is there for me in the hardest moments. Those are the moments when a father is there for you on the rollercoaster, the ups and the downs, and his voice is raucous and resonant. [when you’re] both at the top and when you hit rock bottom.
“But there is no place for these types of conversations, especially when they are directed the way they were directed. There is simply no place for them.
“I think he should get facilitate and that’s it. I don’t believe in kicking a guy when he’s down. The people around him should step up to the plate, be held accountable and speak up. They should be just as ecstatic to be there for Ryan in those moments. That’s when you see what kind of team you have.”
Many will not be able to forgive, and should not. How can the words he posted even exist in his mind if he is, as many say, a great guy deep down. Furthermore, it is too rude to those he has hurt the most to ignore it all as a cry for facilitate, even if that is probably the core of his behavior.
George Floyd’s friend Stephen Jackson had a message for Garcia today: “You need to ask for facilitate, bro, because we don’t play by the same rules that you play by in this ring, I’m telling you,” he said. “Like I told you in the DMs, I told you to ask for facilitate, because this is a whole different ball game, bro. Anybody who has to bring up the dead is dying inside. You’re a fame chaser. You’re looking for attention, trying to live a life that you didn’t grow up with. You’re not that, Ryan. You’re a boxer. Stick to that. Keep George Floyd’s name out of your mouth.”
Garcia’s parents have once again promised to put a stop to their son’s behavior. But now, only he can do it.
“Our son has recently made statements that are not true to his character or beliefs, nor to the character of our family,” they said in a statement. “Our family unequivocally does not support any of his statements regarding race or religion—they do not reflect who Ryan truly is or how he was raised.
“Those who know Ryan can attest to this fact. Ryan has been open about his ongoing struggle with mental health over the years and as a family we are committed to ensuring and supporting him to receive the facilitate he needs to navigate this very arduous time and address both his immediate and long-term well-being. We appreciate your continued support, prayers and compassion.”
Garcia’s need for privacy has never been greater. While it’s his choice to make his demons public, the outside world is no place for them.
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