At the weigh-in on Friday prior to the fight for the World Boxing Council super lightweight title against champion Devin Haney, challenger Ryan García did not weigh in and registered 143.2 pounds, well above the 140-pound limit.
Weeks and days before the fight, his promoter Óscar de la Hoya had said that his pupil looked in very good physical shape and that he was being very professional when training, despite the fact that he published several strange things during the day.
However, Haney and his team during the week of the fight repeatedly said that Garcia looked heavy and claimed that Garcia would not make the weight required for the fight. During Thursday’s press conference, Garcia challenged Haney to a bet, saying he would pay the champion if he didn’t make weight, agreeing to $500,000 per pound over the super lightweight limit.
García’s promoter confirmed the news in a statement and said that the Southern California native will respect the bet made on Thursday at the press conference.
“Ryan has weighed above his contractual weight. He will honor the handshake made yesterday at the final press conference. “We have a fight,” the statement said.
Being more than three pounds overweight makes the Victorville native ineligible to win the WBC championship, even if he wins on Saturday. If he loses, it will be another blow to his credibility as a professional boxer, when he was once considered a top prospect.
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