Ryan Garcia is facing a possible suspension of his boxing license after his B-sample test turned back positive for the banned substance ostarine.
As reported by USA Today, the 25-year-old boxer's B-sample results were issued on Thursday, May 23, revealing that he tested positive for the same banned performance-enhancing drug his A-sample tested positive for. The tests were conducted the day before and the day of his fight against Devin Haney last month, which he ultimately won. Pat English, who represents Haney, said he was informed of the results by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
Garcia previously argued that the A-sample positive test was the result of contaminated samples. "Ryan Garcia is committed to clean and fair competition and has never intentionally used any banned substance," Garcia's legal team said. "Soon after being notified of his positive test, Ryan voluntarily had his hair collected and shipped to Dr. Pascal Kintz, the foremost expert in toxicology and hair-sample analysis. The results of Ryan’s hair sample came back negative. This is consistent with contamination and demonstrably proves that Ryan had not ingested Ostarine over a period of time—the only way he would have had any advantage whatsoever in the ring."
In since-deleted tweets, Garcia denied taking performance-enhancing drugs. "Let’s go we positive," he wrote. "I don’t care I’ll never make money again with boxing."
The results of the tests mean that Garcia will have to schedule a formal hearing with the New York State Athletic Commission, which could result in the suspension of his boxing license alongside fines. "We are certain that one of the natural supplements Ryan was using in the lead-up to the fight will prove to be contaminated," Darin Chavez of Garcia's legal team told ESPN. "We are in the process of testing the supplements to determine the exact source."
Garcia previously indicated that he would "go to a different country to fight" if he faced suspension. The test results also mean that his win over Haney could be overturned.
Earlier this month, Garcia said he was high during the fight, but not on the banned substance he tested positive for. "If I was on steroids, I would've been in way better shape," said Garcia on the Fully Tilted podcast. "It was literally drinking every day, smoking weed, you know, every single day. I didn't stop, not even until the fucking day of the fight. And I got in there high as fuck, and I beat his ass. It was so easy. It was a walk in the fucking park. I had harder fights in sparring, bro. It was not hard at all."
