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Mike Coppinger, ESPN Boxing Insider
Devin Haney filed a lawsuit against Ryan Garcia on Friday in New York seeking damages for battery, fraud and breach of contract in connection with Garcia’s doping violation after their April title fight in Brooklyn, New York, according to court documents obtained by ESPN.
Garcia floored Haney three times in a major upset decision victory, but that result was later overturned to a no contest after Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug ostarine. The star boxer was suspended one year and fined upward of $1.2 million after he reached a settlement with the commission.
Haney seeks unspecified damages and alleged Garcia committed battery because “his contest was limited to a bout held fairly and under the rules.”
“While Devin Haney agreed to participate in a prize fight against Garcia, at no time did he agree to engage in a bout against an individual who had taken a performance-enhancing drug,” the lawsuit states.
Haney, 25, also claimed Garcia committed fraud because he “represented that he had tried to make weight and failed.” Garcia weighed 143.2 pounds for a fight contested at 140 for Haney’s WBC junior welterweight title.
The fight proceeded only after Haney agreed to a deal following the weigh-in and Garcia was ineligible to win the title. Garcia, 26, later claimed he missed weight on purpose.
“Haney would have never fought against a boxer who was positive for a PED,” per the suit.
The suit also names Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. Haney seeks a full accounting of the event that includes evidence to support expenses. Haney was entitled to 47% of the event’s profits.
Golden Boy Promotions didn’t immediately provide a comment. An attorney for Garcia didn’t return a message seeking comment.
“It’s not just about Devin, not about the championship, not about the s— that he did; it’s about the sport and what’s right and what’s wrong,” Haney’s father, trainer and manager, Bill Haney, told ESPN. “… They say the left hook, the left hook, the left hook. And we say that it was drugs.
“So why would Ryan Garcia go in, plead guilty and then not compensate Devin but also cheat the people? Oscar De La Hoya receives $1 million as a fine so why would he receive $1 million and Devin not? … How can Golden Boy benefit from the ruling?”
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) is eligible for reinstatement in April. Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) doesn’t have a fight scheduled and hasn’t competed since the bout.