Ryan Garcia has officially joined the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association testing program, taking a final step toward his three-fight arrangement that includes a May return and an October rematch with "unbeaten" rival Devin Haney. The 26-year-old Garcia also agreed to additional drug testing from the California State Athletic Commission.
This development follows a one-year suspension Garcia received from the New York State Athletic Commission due to positive tests for Ostarine, which nullified his April 20 majority decision over Haney and changed it to a no-contest. Garcia’s team maintains the banned substance came from tainted supplements that provided no competitive advantage. Nonetheless, Team Haney insisted on Garcia enrolling in VADA as a prerequisite for their planned second bout.
Before the rematch, Garcia headlines a May show in New York, moving up to welterweight to fight Rolando "Rolly" Romero, while Haney meets former unified 140-pound titlist Jose Ramirez on the same card, also at 147. Both fights are tied to Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh and his preference for VADA testing protocols, ensuring stringent oversight for Garcia’s bouts in 2025 and a third match in early 2026. Despite initially questioning VADA’s necessity - partly due to Haney’s ties with ex-BALCO mastermind Victor Conte - Garcia will now be under random and rigorous testing for the foreseeable future, as confirmed by California commission head Andy Foster.
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