On 20th of April, two years ago, Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia delivered a result few expected inside Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, in a fight that would later be erased from the record books.
Billed as “This One Counts,” the clash marked the first professional meeting between the longtime amateur rivals, who had split six previous bouts. Haney entered undefeated as WBC super lightweight champion, while Garcia came in as the challenger - though he missed weight at 143.2 lbs, meaning the title was no longer on the line.
Watch Garcia vs. Haney highlights: Watch
What followed stunned the boxing world. Garcia dropped Haney three times across rounds seven, ten, and eleven, producing a performance that defied expectations. He secured a majority decision victory with scores of 115–109 and 114–110, while one judge had it even at 112–112.
Garcia also led the fight statistically, outlanding Haney 106 to 87 in total punches and dominating the power punch count 95 to 45, connecting at an impressive 41% rate - well above what Haney’s previous opponents had managed.
However, the outcome was later overturned to a no contest after Garcia tested positive for Ostarine, wiping away one of the sport’s most shocking results and leaving the rivalry without a definitive conclusion.
Will we ever see a rematch?
Image Credit: DAZN