LAS VEGAS – Ryan Garcia tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance known as ostarine on the day of and the day before his stunning three-knockdown victory over Devin Haney last month in New York, sources reported Wednesday.
The testing was performed by the Las Vegas-based Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), and an individual familiar with the process reports a second substance, known as 19-norandrosterone, “screened positive” and is “being confirmed by” Carbon Isotope Ratio testing.
Boxing writer Dan Rafael first reported the results.
Test results typically require a 72-hour processing window if done on a rushed – or “stat” – basis, a doping expert said.
Garcia (25-1) won a surprise majority decision victory over WBC lightweight champion Haney, but Haney (31-1) retained his belt because Garcia was 3.2 pounds overweight for the 140-pound bout following a turbulent training camp in which he distributed a series of bizarre social-media posts and spoke of drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.
Golden Boy Promotions, which represents Garcia, released a statement on the PED report on Wednesday: “Ryan has put out multiple statements denying knowingly using any banned substances – and we believe him. We are working with his team to determine how this finding came to be and will address this further once we conclude that process.”
Victor Conte, founder of BALCO and now a special advisor and spokesman for Haney, told BoxingScene on Wednesday that he was alerted of Garcia’s positive test by a Haney attorney who had seen the VADA report and shared the news with Devin Haney and his father-trainer Bill Haney.
Devin Haney asked Conte what the substances’ effects are and was told “both have anabolic effects … performance-enhancing all the way,” Conte said.
Conte said 19-norandrosterone is a metabolite of nandrolone – or its street name, “deca” – an anabolic steroid nicknamed the “kiss of death,” according to Conte, because of its long-lasting presence in the body.
Ostarine, Conte said, is a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM) that is “similar to steroids but has a reputation of being safer than steroids.”
“For tested athletes, you’d be [foolish] to take anything other than what you can buy at CVS and Walgreens,” Conte said.
Former super middleweight titleholder Lucian Bute tested positive for ostarine following a 2016 draw against Badou Jack, and was ultimately fined and suspended for using the banned substance that improves stamina and workout recovery ability.
Before closing his Wednesday call, Haney was told by Conte, “I thought this fight already turned the world of boxing upside down. It’s getting even more crazy now.”
"We learned about this situation not too long ago and it's unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice," read a statement issued by Devin Haney to ESPN.
"I've always been an advocate for clean fighting and this is an example of such. Ryan owes the fans an apology, and by his recent tweet he still thinks this is a joke. We put our lives on the line to entertain people for a living. You don't play boxing.
"This puts the fight in a completely different light. Despite the disadvantage, I still fought on my shield and got back up!
"People die in this sport. This isn't a joking matter."
