On April 16, 2024, at The Empire State Building in New York City, boxers Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia faced off in a highly anticipated bout for the 140-pound super lightweight title. However, Garcia’s erratic behavior in the months leading up to the fight raised concerns about his mental state.
Garcia’s behavior was characterized by strange social media posts and outrageous claims made during press conferences. Some questioned if he was truly struggling with mental health issues or simply playing up a persona for promotional purposes. Despite these concerns, Golden Boy Promotions confirmed that the fight would happen as scheduled.
However, when Garcia arrived at the weigh-in on the day of the fight, he came in 3.2 lbs overweight, causing both camps to negotiate a deal to allow the fight to proceed as a non-title bout. This added another layer of drama to an already turbulent buildup to the bout between two promising fighters who had agreed to a bet that would result in a hefty payout if one of them missed weight.
Despite being overweight for the fight, Garcia honored the bet made with Haney, adding another layer of drama to an already bizarre lead-up to the bout. In this unique matchup between two talented young boxers, both fighters gave their all in what turned out to be a thrilling non-title showdown at The Empire State Building on April 16th.