Written by Daniel Matthews in Brooklyn, New York
06:16 April 21, 2024, updated 08:21 April 21, 2024
With about a minute left in round seven, a cameraman began climbing between the ropes and a DJ began playing music throughout the arena.
Legs were shaking and bodies were tangled in the ring, points were being shaved off the scorecard, and referee Harvey Dock was losing control.
A riot broke out at the Barclays Center. As many people expected. After all the nonsense, all the warning signs, all the red flags, there were fears that Ryan Garcia's public meltdown would reach a chaotic climax on Saturday night. And it was proven. Garcia had threatened to bite or kill Devin Haney. A disability or disqualification seemed as likely as his 12 round decision.
There was just one possibility that no one was seriously considering. That means Garcia can actually win this fight.
Not against the undefeated and seemingly untouchable Haney. Not after the pain and mental torture that unfolded on social media, on microphones, and even on the roof of the Empire State Building. At least until Garcia exploded with his left hook a minute into the first round. It staggered Haney and set the tone for a night that meant little.
By round seven, all hell broke loose. Haney was on the floor, but no one, neither the cameraman nor the DJ, fully understood what was happening. By round 11, Haney was back on deck and Garcia was celebrating on the turnbuckle.
As the final bell approached, Garcia dragged his shoulders, trembled his knees and turned his tongue at Haney. He secured three knockdowns and was knocked down several more times, resulting in points being deducted by the referee. The pro-Haney crowd changed allegiance. And yet? Uncertainty remained.
This is boxing and this was a crazy fight as Garcia fought with just a few devastating flashes.
All of this made the scorecard difficult to predict. There was a lot of chess being played in between the confusion, and Haney appeared to be in control, but nothing much happened.
In the end, one judge couldn't separate the two, but the other two judges gave Garcia four points and Garcia six points. After a promotion that left a stain on boxing, these two put on a scintillating performance that reminded us of boxing's best. My only complaint? This remarkable performance, by far the biggest win of Garcia's career and one of the most dramatic upsets in recent years, was not rewarded in the form of a first world title.
He forfeited his shot at the WBC super lightweight title and his $1.5 million prize money because he competed at 3 pounds overweight. How useful were those three extra pounds? How much of a burden would shedding them have been on Haney?
But Garcia's strange behavior on the scale was one of the final signs suggesting he should never have been allowed to fight Saturday.
A video showed Garcia's throat being slit and a relative raping her. A divorce from the mother of her newborn son, and a marriage proposal with an Australian porn star. Conspiracy theories about Tupac, aliens, and Elon Musk.
Concerns intensified in the hours before the first bell. Garcia was wearing a T-shirt with a chilling warning: “Murder is on my mind.” He warmed up to a symphonic soundtrack performed by a string quartet.
When he finally left the locker room, sweat glistening from his face, Garcia placed the crown on his bowed head. By then, the exciting matchup between the two young Americans threatened to become a symbol of shame for the sport. And interest in how the battle would unfold turned into genuine concern about what the fighters would do.
Garcia's loved ones, trainer Derrick James, promoter Oscar De La Hoya and the New York State Athletic Commissioner who tested the 25-year-old's spirit all ignored his pleas to withdraw. Don't forget about this result alone.
One thing we've always known about Garcia is that he has brutal power. He showed it with the first meaningful punch of the fight, and he showed it many times after that.
In between his opponent's flurries, Haney tried to regain control, but to no avail. Without completely taming his opponent, he picked up the bullet and damaged Garcia. Every time Garcia hooked, he played with fire. And he paid the price.
It was Garcia's signature left hook that landed Haney time and time again. He was seriously injured in the seventh round, but was allowed to continue. Garcia, smelling blood, threw his punch after his fighter was pulled away and was deducted points. Haney hit the canvas two more times before the round ended, but neither resulted in a knockdown.
In the end, it didn't matter. Haney survived them. He showed tremendous guts in the 10th and 11th rounds to get back on his feet, but there was no answer.
The two were about 10 years old when they first shared a ring. By the time they both turned professional, Haney and Garcia had fought six times, with each winning three times. But in the months leading up to their meeting here, they had been diverted onto completely different paths. Only a fool would try to predict where they are and where they will end up in the fight against No. 8.
