Over two years ago, Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia birthed one of boxing’s most fierce rivalries, but both now reign as world champions in the welterweight division.
In April 2024, Garcia had been poised to challenge for Haney’s WBC super-lightweight world title, but ‘King Ry’ lost that opportunity when he weighed in three pounds over the 140lb limit.
The bout went ahead and in a shocking turn of events, the presumedly ill-prepared Garcia was dominant, flooring the champion on three occasions on route to a majority-decision victory.
Yet, the drama was not done there, as Garcia later tested positive for Ostarine, with Haney appealing the result of the fight and having it overturned to a no-contest.
Haney has since gone on to capture the WBO welterweight crown, whilst Garcia claimed the WBC world title earlier this year. Speaking on the Ring Champs YouTube channel, former welterweight undisputed champion, Terence Crawford, predicted that Haney would get the better of Garcia, if a unification rematch were to take place.
“Ryan Garcia [is] cool but he ain’t smart enough [to beat elite fighters]. It’s just that he and Devin fought each other so many times [in the amateurs], they just know each other.
“I think that all of the antics before the fight distracted Devin and caught him off guard, he took Ryan lightly.
“I do [think it would be different if they fought again] because, if you watch the fight, he was just getting hit with the same punch over and over and over.”
Garcia is set to defend his world title for the first time when he is tasked with Conor Benn on Saturday, September 12, whilst Haney is still waiting to confirm an opponent for his first outing of 2026.
