Devin Haney learns fate as WBC champion after loss to Ryan Garcia
Haney conquered by Garcia but not dethroned
Ryan Garcia might have beaten Devin Haney at the weekend but that did not mean he went home with the world title, having weighed in more than 3lbs over the official limit for the championship contest.In a performance that shocked the world, 25-year-old Garcia managed to knock down defending titlist Haney three times before ultimately securing a victory on points and inflicting the first defeat of ‘The Dream’s’ career.
It was a remarkable showing, given how erratic he had acted in the build-up with the things he said, tweeted about, and even his actions, not least drinking a beer while on the scales and weighing in.
Had Garcia made weight for the fight at the Barclays Centre, the Golden Boy-promoted star would now be celebrating his first world title. However, his pursuit of those accolades will have to wait for another opportunity.
With Haney’s loss, numerous boxing fans have been questioning the status of his WBC super-lightweight title.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman took to X after the fight to clear up the situation regarding the world title and reference a notorious fight in which something similar happened before.
“Congratulations to Ryan Garcia defying all obstacles and winning a huge fight. Congratulations to Devin Haney for showing his huge heart and class. Just as in Corrales vs Castillo 2 , with the challenger not making weight, Haney remains WBC champion.”
Many fans responded to this asking why the belt has not become vacant. One way to resolve it would be for an immediate rematch with Garcia making weight and getting a second shot at claiming his first world title, though he has also begun calling out other names already.